The Next Great Adventure
by Zeika
Summary: The Spirit Detective team chance upon a certain time traveling priestess on a school trip. They decide to make helping her find someone their next mission.
1. Prologue

Keiko watched Yusuke and Kuwabara both stiffen as they abruptly cut off mid-squabble. Their heads turned in unison to look at the well house to their left as the door opened and a girl about their age, but from a different school by looks of her uniform, exited. She was toting an overlarge pack and shot the group a startled look before smiling hesitantly at them.

"Kagome! This is the class I told you about. You remember, the ones from Sarayashiki studying shrines and their history." The old man giving the tour shouted out to her.

"Oh yes." She hesitated briefly, "I'm finished in the well house, just let me put these supplies in the house and I'll come help you with the tour, okay Grandpa?"

"Yes, yes. That would be lovely." He turned back to the class, "This is my granddaughter Kagome. She's a shrine maiden in training. She can tell you all about the history of the Shikon no Tama and the Warring States period. For now, let's continue our tour."

The old man started jabbering on again about some demon history and its significance to this part of the shrine or that part. Even Keiko was ignoring his stories at this point. She turned her attention back to her companions and listened to them quietly, for once, discuss something they'd both picked up on their magical radar. Something she was lacking and didn't mind a bit.

"Was that the girl or something inside the little hut?" Yusuke was asking Kuwabara.

Kuwabara furrowed an eyebrow as he stared at the well house and then shifted his attention to the main house she had disappeared into.

"I don't know." Kuwabara responded. He glanced at the huge tree and back at the house before sending a startled glance at the tree, "something is odd about that tree, too."

"What do you mean?" Keiko really didn't understand exactly what they were referring to, but she figured if she could keep them talking, she'd figure it out soon enough.

Yusuke looked questionably at Kuwabara before he too, looked at what the old man had called the 'God Tree', "it's huge, if that's what you mean. I don't sense anything from it. Not even the old power that most of the big trees like it have."

"Exactly." Kuwabara responded, "Nothing. There is nothing anywhere anymore. The sense of power was there for a split second before it disappeared. You can't sense any power here. And that tree, that tree feels… weird."

"Why don't we come back with Kurama after?" Keiko recommended.

Both boys turned to her with a surprised look.

"What?" She snarked at them, "you think that just because I'm the only normal person you guys associate with means that I can't figure things out? I know Kurama is your plant, and all things requiring actual thought, specialist and that Heie is not human. Just like I know that you guys are discussing something about the supernatural that you pretend doesn't exist and will probably disappear for a few days again without word to anyone!"

Okay, maybe she had been a bit too temperamental with that, but they asked for it! It's not like she was stupid and she hated when they disappeared without so much as a thought. She may not mind not having any supernatural abilities, but she sure did mind being left out of the loop!

"Umm." Was Yusuke's intelligent response, "Sorry Keiko, I didn't think—."

"That's right! You didn't!" And with that she stalked off to talk to someone who had sense, one of her fellow female classmates of course.

"Well." Yusuke huffed. He turned to Kuwabara, saw the bemused look as he watched Keiko depart and snapped, "What!"

"She's right." Kuwabara commented.

"I know she's right," Yusuke returned, "doesn't mean she has to bite my head off, though."

They stopped talking as the girl, Kagome, according to her grandfather, bounced out the door. Kuwabara's attention flickered from her, to the tree, and back.

"What?" Yusuke murmured to his partner.

"I don't know. It's almost like I sense power coming from her, but I don't. It's the same as the well, but different."

Yusuke looked at Kuwabara thoughtfully and with a decisive nod fell quiet again. The pair watched the girl approach her grandfather and take over the tour.

They should have listened to her tale, but Yusuke was too busy trying to get Keiko to forgive him and Kuwabara too busy trying to keep their argument going, he liked when Yusuke got into trouble after all. Had they not been so preoccupied, Yusuke probably would have heard at least a little of the story she told, after all – he never could resist a girl in a short skirt. And had they not been so preoccupied, they'd have heard the tale that started the whole mess that was going to be their next great adventure.

Author's Note:

Okay, I realize it's very short. It's a start though. Please be kind to me - this is my first YYH or IY fic... I'm trying to keep them in character as possible, but I do realize that I will not get them perfect. I don't know if there will be any pairings, but they won't be the center part of the story if so.


	2. The End of the Past

Kagome growled in frustration as she tried to figure out the math problem that had her stumped. She had understood this in class. That was three weeks ago. While the teacher was explaining it. And actually, he'd had her pencil in hand while doing so. Okay! So she sucked at math. But really, was this even necessary? I mean, she fought demons for a living. Who need to know what this variable equaled and to balance the equation when you were busy running from a demon who wanted the jewel shards around your neck? Exactly, nobody.

She felt that presence from yesterday reach the peak of the stairs and enter the barrier provided by the God Tree. She'd been shocked yesterday when she'd stumbled out of the past and into an entire class of students. One was a demon, of some sort; and another was something resembling Miroku, her friend the monk. The rest of the class seemed average humans. She was going to kill her grandfather sometime for not warning her they were going to there. She didn't care if he didn't know they were coming until after she was back in the past, he could have left a note on the door or something.

She tried to turn her attention back to her equation. The auras of the boys from yesterday presented too much a distraction. Not that she tried very hard. And she wouldn't admit that to anybody, not even if Sesshomaru tried to torture it from her in the guise of training. No way.

So, she got up and went to the door to greet the shrine guests. Maybe they were doing a report and needed more info. A reasonable excuse to procrastinate on her homework, after all, she wouldn't want to impede on another's education.

Her hand was on the door to open it when she realized what her over sensitized powers were trying to tell her. There were two more with them. And they were demons. Questions slammed into her and she threw all caution to the wind as she tossed the door open and stepped outside. She'd thought demons had become practically extinct. Now in two days there were three? She had to find out what was going on.

"Hello. Welcome back to our shrine." Kagome greeted with a smile as she closed the door behind her and stepped down to meet them. "I'm Kagome Higurashi, how can I help you?"

Yusuke turned away from Kurama and the God Tree to introduce himself and his teammates to her. "I remember. Your gramps told us yesterday. I'm Yusuke."

"Nice to meet you, Yusuke." Kagome tilted her head slightly to the left and repeated her question, "How can I help you, today?"

"Well, we were here yesterday for our class and Kuwabara, that guy over there," he said pointing to his tall friend, "and I picked it for a class project."

Complete improvising on Yusuke's part. Everybody knew he'd never actually do a class project, much less go out on his free time and research it.

"My other friends here have always been interested in this kind of history, so we let them tag along with us. This is Shuichi."

"Nice to meet you." They greeted each other as they shook hands.

"And Hiei. He doesn't talk much." Yusuke finished his introductions and stuffed his hands in his pockets while he watched the small and awkward interaction between Kagome and Hiei.

Kagome smiled cheerfully at Hiei and didn't offer to shake his hand. It was pretty obvious to someone as experienced with taciturn demons such as Sesshomaru, that he did not wish to be touched by a 'filthy human'. Hiei returned her greeting with a stiff nod and quickly turned his attention away from her.

"So, what exactly does your project entail?" Kagome asked, honestly curious.

"Well," Yusuke hesitated, scrambling to come up with something legitimate sounding, "that tree right there."

Kurama looked at Yusuke in exasperation as he barked out worst story to get more information about that tree.

Kagome cocked her head again, this time to the right, as she looked at the historical tree and back at the quartet, "Okay. It's a tree. A very big tree. A maple."

"What he means is, is there a history behind the tree?" Kurama scrambled to fix his leader's muck up, "their project has to focus on one object and learn the myths and legends of it. They picked your tree. The God Tree or Goshinboku?"

Kagome laughed, "Well, that makes more sense. I told you guys the story of the myth of the demon that was sealed to it for fifty years yesterday. I can tell you again and elaborate some if you'd like."

Kurama shot a glance at Yusuke when he didn't respond immediately.

"Yeah! Of course. That would be great, thanks Kagome." Yusuke practically shouted when he realized it was his turn.

Kagome wandered over to a small burrow in the roots of the Goshinboku and folded herself into a comfortable position. She waved her hand in invitation for them to all join her. The males, human and demon alike, formed a small half sphere around her as they relaxed to listen to the tale she promised to tell. And so she did. Kagome told them the story of the priestess from the villiage of Edo who took care of the sacred jewel and the half demon that fell in love her. She told them of the apparent betrayal of each other and then the truth of the matter.

She spun her tales for hours, telling them the true history of the Shikon no Tama and the miko and hanyou that centered around the tree. And when they asked about the origins of the jewel she went further back into the past to its creation. They asked about the origins of the evil half demon that destroyed the blooming relationship of the miko and hanyou and about the origins of the miko's half demon. She told them all they asked, weaving stories so realistic they almost felt as if they were part of it themselves.

They asked what happened after he was sealed to the tree and the jewel burnt. Only then did Kagome hesitate. She unfurled her legs from the crossed position they had been in and tucked them close to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them as she carefully took in each of the men.

Kuwabara looked interested and open about it. He had avidly listened to her tales and asked many questions throughout. Her attention turned to Yusuke.

He was a bit less open about being interested in her stories. He reminded her a bit of Inuyasha with his actions. The only bit missing was the ear that rested on top of white locks that would always remain directed at her. He would look away from her while she was telling the story and pretend indifference, and then his attention would shift back as soon as it sounded like she was winding down. He'd prompt her to continue, not with his words, but with his questioning "What happened next?" looks. She smiled inwardly at the comparison and turned her attention to Hiei.

That one could have been raised by Sesshomaru. His face was a blank sheet the entire time. The only hint of interest he gave was that he remained. She was sure that, had he not been interested in her recollections, he would have left. Yes, that one was definitely very much like Sesshomaru. She let her gaze slide past him to Shuichi, the most vocal of the group.

Shuichi had prompted her at every pause and ending. He'd been the one to ask about the creation of the Shikon Jewel and about the origins of Naraku, not that she'd given him Naraku's name. No, the only name she'd given at all was Midoriko. Inuyasha may still be around somewhere in this time. If these demons existed, perhaps he did, too. If she gave Kikyo's name, she'd have to provide Inuyasha's too, after all, what kind of story only knows the name of one lover? Shuichi was definitely the most interested of them.

Kagome opened her mouth to tell the story about a girl that appeared one day to release the half-demon when she heard her name called. She, and all four males, turned her head to the house.

"Kagome," her mother repeated, "dinner is ready; why don't you bring your guests? There is plenty for everybody and it's getting dark. I'm sure your friends are hungry."

Kagome smiled at her mother and responded with an agreement before looking at the boys inquiringly.

The four exchanged glances, and Kurama, after a quick quelling glare to Hiei, looked to Kagome and accepted with a smile.

"We'd be glad to stay for dinner, if it's not an imposition."

"No! Of course not! Mom always loves having guests for dinner, and Souta, my brother, will be overjoyed to see other males about. My grandpa knows more about the shrine history than me, if you want to quiz him for your school project." Kagome led them into the house, internally cursing when she saw her math homework lying on the table. She'd forgotten about it and now would need to stay up late to finish before class tomorrow.

The group ate dinner with quite a bit of chatter. Yusuke and Kuwabara squabbled a couple of times with one another, and then with Souta when he brought up his game systems. Kurama conversed with the adults and Kagome the most. He showed avid interest in the shrines history to the patriarch of the family, earning his immediate approval. He complimented Kagome's mother about the delicious meal and ate heartily. Kagome's mother wasn't as accepting as her father though; these young men would have to do a little more to win her approval.

Kagome and Kurama conversed a bit, mostly about school where she learned if she ever needed a tutor, she could probably appeal to him. She tried including Hiei once or twice, but after he proved reticent to all attempts, allowed him to sit quietly and without bother. The meal ended and the spirit detectives left with their thanks and a promise to come back so she could finish her tales.

But when the returned a week later, she wasn't there. The strange old man told stories of impossible diseases and pushed them off without allowing even a short visit. After the third week of such attempts and denials, Hiei allowed himself to be convinced to peek into her window. What he discovered, worried all of them, three openly and one hidden.

Kagome's bedroom was empty, it hadn't been touched and her scent was almost a month old.

(Currently, 500 years minus a couple of days ago)

Kagome let a single tear fall down her cheek as she watched the last of the dirt packed over the body of her fallen comrade and friend. She almost wished she had never left her time period, had she stayed they never would have reached this stage. The jewel wouldn't be finished and her group wouldn't be shattered. Of course, Naraku had finally been destroyed. That was a plus.

She leaned down to place the rosary on the cross marking the grave and lay the flower where her friends head lay underneath the packed earth.

- Three days ago -

The group had been caught nearly unawares. They knew the final battle would come soon, Kagome had been pretty sure that all pieces of the jewel had been gathered. Naraku had most of it, but they had a fairly sizable chunk as well. The last two pieces had been given to Inuyasha by Ginta, Kouga's wolf friend two days ago. Apparently, Kouga had died protecting his pack from a creation of Naraku's. He and his pack had taken the creation down, but the resulting wounds had been too much, and Kouga died hours after the battle. He'd asked Ginta, Hakkaku had died during the battle, to take the shards from his leg and deliver them to 'his woman'. And so he had. Then Ginta had gone back to mourn the loss of the pack members and lead them to safety.

Sesshomaru had been with them that night. Had he not, the results would have been even worse. Kagome was reading Rin and Shippo a bed time story while Jaken grumbled to Ahun in the corner of the clearing about 'no good wenches spoiling the brat'. Sesshomaru had watched on in his passive way while he kept guard of the little girl he'd accepted as his ward, and the human she'd decided to adopt as her mother. The rest could hang for all he cared. Except Jaken and Ahun of course, but that was a given.

Miroku and Sango murmured to each other away from the rest. They had been married about two months ago. Nobody knew how Miroku had convinced her, but he did it. He had quit eyeing and chasing the rest of the women in the world, though he did still grope his new wife several times a day. Sango had discovered a couple of days ago she was pregnant with his child. They were discussing what their next move was. What that actually means is that Miroku was trying to convince Sango to return to Edo and stay with Keade where she'd be safe, while Sango refused to leave her husbands side. They never got the chance to finish that argument.

Inuyasha was up in a tree with Kikyo. She had joined their little band of shard hunters a couple of months ago, much to the chagrin of everybody except Inuyasha. That's not to say she was useless. She could sense the jewel shards, and while she couldn't purify them, that was a slight relief to Kagome. That meant she could go home more often, and so she did. Kikyo had nothing to do with anybody in the group except Inuyasha outside of battle. She wanted to complete the jewel shard and return to her rest. Her feelings from life about Inuyasha were still there and his for her. Kagome had to accept them as a couple.

Kagome's head shot up at the same instant a white blur snatched the children and through them on the two headed dragon. Sesshomaru didn't have to give the dragon any orders to take them to safety, the dragon launched instantly, grabbing Jaken with his foot almost as an afterthought.

Kagome stood up and gathered her weapon while the rest of the team strained their senses to see what alerted the group. Kikyo sensed it first, and after her the others quickly realized what their friend did.

The jewel was quickly approaching, its taint a beacon of evil in the blackness of that night. With the jewel, had to be Naraku. With Naraku came his minions. With all that combined, they knew there would be blood, death, and destruction. They only hoped it wasn't on their end.

Miroku and Sango exchange a heart wrenching kiss before she prepared her Hirakotsu and he prepared his sutras and wind tunnel. Inuyasha sent Kikyo a longing look before pulling the Tetsusiaga and transforming it to its formidable size. Sesshomaru placed a hand on Kagome and thrust her behind him. If the fools wanted to leave the most important member of their group undefended, he would take it upon himself to protect her. Nobody else could rid them of the headache the tainted jewel provided.

"Mmm, hello beautiful." Naraku leered to Kikyo before turning to Kagome, "and reincarnation."

He dismissed both mikos and acknowledged Sesshomaru, "Western Lord, I'm here for the jewel only. I have no quarrel with you, and should you wish to depart the battlefield, I will not give chase. You have my word."

"This Sesshomaru do not flee from half-breeds. You're a blight to this world and an annoyance to this Sesshomaru. You've attempted to harm what is belongs to me and continuously hinder the travels of this miko, a ward of the western lands. Prepare to die."

Inuyasha listened to his brother's monotone speech and glared at Naraku and his horde of demons. He politely waited until his brother was finished before unleashed his attack on Naraku's minions with an eloquent, "Feh!"

The wind scar ripped through the right side of Naraku's forces, decimating a large number. More demons poured in to replace them.

Sesshomaru let loose a wave of poison from his claws, destroying his adversaries. He charged his whip and pulled his sword, grateful that he'd managed to regrow his arm. Not that he'd ever admit it. Kagome still hadn't been able to wheedle the story of how he got it back out of him. He made quick work of any demon he faced, but for every five he slaughtered, twenty more replaced them.

Blue and pink charged arrows flew through the demon horde, purifying any stupid enough not to get out of the way. Kagome and Kikyo stood back to back, for once dissolving all tension between them, and fired arrow after arrow to protect their companions. Miroku, Sango, and Kirara were taking down their numbers, but they were struggling with it.

Miroku had opened his wind tunnel, but the poisonous insects were present and he had to close it before he could make much of a dent in the opposing force. Hirakotsu had just been launched at a group of demons approaching them when one snuck up behind Sango. Miroku grabbed Sango and flung her out of the way. She stumbled to the ground on Kagome's left side before she leapt back up to her feet and drew the saber she kept at her side. She whipped around to attack and saw her husband collapse the ground, a fist size hole through his side and chest. She shrieked in rage and loss and horror. She charged at the demon and sliced its head clean off before the demon had time to react. She straddled Miroku, protecting him from all directions fighting the hardest she'd ever fought.

Kirara had brought her giant boomerang back and stood with her defending her mistress's mate. Kagome, after hearing Sango's shriek, rushed to her aid and kept any demons away with the threat of her purifications powers. Miroku reached up and clasped Sango's leg as he coughed up black blood.

"I love you, always have, always will. Live your life. I'll see you in the after life." The life in his eyes faded as Sango turned her attention fully to her love. She grasped his hand and yelled her love to him, tears openly flowing down her face as she begged him not to leave her and their child. He smiled at her, squeezed her hand, and died. She sobbed one large gasp, folded his hand lovingly on his chest, and stood up. She glared at the demons, the numbers largely demolished, and snarled for them to come and get her. Her eyes were dead, and she was determined to end it one way or another. If she died, she'd get to see Miroku, if she lived… well, she'd worry about that later.

Kagome had tears streaming down her face as she fired her rapidly dwindling arrow supply. She'd loved Miroku like a brother, and would miss him terribly. She vowed to do everything she could for Sango, even if it meant bringing her to the future.

Naraku had turned his attention to focus on the woman he had yearned for when he was human and destroyed when he turned into the abomination that he currently was. He would destroy her again and fix the mistake that she was. Kikyo fired an arrow at the demon trying to sneak up on Inuyasha and turned her attention to the evil presence she felt approaching. She knocked her last arrow and charged it with her blue priestess powers.

"Naraku," Kikyo stated, as she aimed the glowing arrow his way, "this is for who I was."

She fired the arrow into Naraku. He dodged it, mostly. Her power was enough to purify enough of him to weaken him severely, but not destroy him. Not when she only had a small portion of her soul. Not when her arrow only nicked him. And not when he had three fifths of the jewel. In revenge, Naraku was able to impale her right through the heart. Her small gasp was unheard through the battle raging around them and Inuyasha's pained cry.

"Kikyo!" The hanyou abandoned the demons he had been attacking to attend to the woman he had loved before she died, when he slept, and after she was brought back. He arrived in one leap and caught her as she slid off the tentacle. She smiled up at him, the first true smile since she died.

"I'm free, Inuyasha. I can rest now." She sighed and brushed his face, "don't mourn for me. Fight the battle and win. You must save the jewel and complete it."

"Kikyo…" Inuyasha gasped. He watched as she crumbled into the dust and earth she truly was. It has been a false life this time, and there would be no body.

Kagome gasped as her soul became whole once more and turned to where Inuyasha knelt empty handed. Naraku sent a wave of tentacles his way, to destroy the dog demon the same way he'd destroyed his lover. The attack was repelled by the western lord in a rare show of brotherly support.

Sesshomaru stood in front of his brother, defending him from Naraku, the only opposition left. Naraku sneered at Sesshomaru and moved to attack the elegant demon in white when a red blur leapt over the older brother to attack. Naraku redirected his attack at Inuyasha at the last minute. So many things seemed to happened at once.

It was only later Kagome put together the actual events. She released her arrow at the exact second Sango released Hirakotsu. They flew towards the evil creature, one glowing brighter and brighter as it crossed the distance in seconds, the other making an ominous wuffing sound and it flipped towards him.

Sesshomaru had unleashed his attack fractions of a moment after the females. It hit Naraku as his tentacles ripped into Inuyasha. The attack melted almost all the tentacles that Naraku wielded while Sango's Hirakotsu struck, the giant boomerang sliced the body in half, the lower half falling to the ground useless. The upper half looked at Inuyasha in astonishment before it was purified by Kagome's arrow. The arrow had been powered so strongly by her grief that it had actually slowed the speed, making it hit Naraku a full second behind Hirakotsu. They watched, frozen, as Naraku melted into pink blazing light.

Inuyasha and Naraku's part of the jewel hit the ground at the same moment. Kagome dashed to Inuyasha's side, completely ignoring the jewel. She grabbed knelt by his side, grabbed his hand right hand in hers and placed her left hand on his forhead.

"Inuyasha!" She cried, "Inuyasha!"

He looked through her, "Kikyo."

"Please Inuyasha, don't go!" Kagome wailed, "Please, don't leave me!"

The hanyou died, never once acknowledging the girl from the future. She sobbed into his chest, not caring that his blood coated her. She leaned back and kissed his forehead and stood up. Kagome turned to Sango, only to find the woman cradling the dead monk and weeping.

Sesshomaru watched as his self proclaimed ward wept over his brother. He felt a pang in his chest and realized it was sadness. He hadn't liked his brother. He'd loathed him as a matter of fact, but that had been his brother. He stooped to pick up the tainted jewel and strode to the lost looking miko.

Kagome looked away from Sango when she felt Sesshomaru approach. He took her hand and placed the dark shards into her hand. They watched it turn back into its pure color and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Come, Miko." He gathered Inuyasha on his shoulder and looked at the monk. He strode over to the demon slayer and said, "He fought bravely and protected his family. He was a powerful man and will be honored in death. This Sesshomaru gives his condolences for your loss."

She glared up at him. Sango wasn't ready to accept his death yet, "What about your sword? You can raise the dead, why won't you use it on him?"

"Your husband was a holy man. This sword can only resurrect mundane humans. Even Inuyasha, who bears the blood that sired this sword, cannot be resurrected by it."

Sango firmed her grip on Miroku and began to weep harder.

The remaining members of the group eventually managed to gather their emotions and leave the battle site. Kirara held the body of Miroku while Sesshomaru carried Inuyasha. The group traveled to the forest he had slept in for fifty years on Sesshomaru's cloud.

The burials were scheduled for the day after they arrived. It was too hot to leave a body unburied for too long.

-Back to the present (of the past) -

Kagome felt another tear roll down her face as she rose up from the crouch. She looked at Sango and walked away to give her some privacy. Everybody else had already dispersed. Kagome wandered to Sesshomaru and stopped in front of him without saying anything. She looked to the ground and hoped he'd understand what she needed without him needing her to say it.

"This Sesshomaru will take Inuyasha's body to the Western Citadel. It will be interred with honor as all of our bloodline has been in the past. Do not mourn him, Little Miko, it will dishonor his sacrifice and weaken his honor. Stand tall and remember the good times with him." He paused, "You are ward and ally to the Western Lands. That shall stand until you die. If you wish, you may come to the Western Citadel and complete your training there. You will have free run of the place and may come and go as you wish. The slayer should not come though, not until after she has had the children she carries. She will be too much temptation for the demons housed there."

"Children?" Kagome asked, shocked, "as in plural?"

"Yes, two children. I believe you call it twins."

Hours later, Kagome and Sango stood together with Keade, letting them know what the plans were. Kagome was heading to the Western Citadel to fetch Shippo would be back in a week. She was going to stay with Sango until she had her children and go from there. There would, of course, be visits to the future, but she wasn't going to leave her friend alone in her grief. But first, there was one thing she must do.

The three females walked outside to where Sesshomaru waited in front of the Goshinboku. She had entrusted the jewel pieces into his care (he could protect them on the trip better than her) until they got back to Keade who would know how to make it whole again. She took the jewel from Sesshomaru and turned to Keade and waited for instructions.

"Simply think of it as whole again, child." Keade told her, "you'll want to use a small amount of your blood though as it came from you."

And so Kagome borrowed a dagger from Sango and made a shallow cut in her hand. She let it drip on the jewel pieces until they were covered in an ominous red. She curled her uninjured hand around the jewel and thought about what it felt like and looked like whole. She felt the magic of the jewel as it began to reform itself and knew immediately that something was wrong.

The audience of three was watching her in horror as she slowly faded, even Sesshomaru had dropped his mask and reached for her.

"Watch over them, Sesshomaru!" Kagome shrieked as she realized what was happening. "Please! Protect them! In five hundred years, if you still live, come find me. I'll be waiting! Remember them and tell me them. I love you, Sango. I'm sorry to break my promise. I'll try to come back, if I can't – always remember me!"

Kagome opened her mouth to say one final thing and the world faded. The group watched as the priestess cried her impassioned farewell and requests, tears streaming down her face. They watched as she reached blindly for them and disappeared.

Sango and Keade never saw her again.

(Back to the future, or present)

The detectives had come one final time to get answers of Kagome. When the told the old man that they knew she wasn't sick, that she was _gone, _Kagome's mother came forward to try and placate them.

She still didn't trust them, but she was wearing down at their persistent visits and obvious concern for her daughter.

"Kagome has gone to visit some friends. Her health is fine, but expressed her wishes that we not give out her location. I'm sure when she is back she'll contact you. We don't know when that will be, I'm sorry." She said as she looked down and made to close the door.

Yusuke stuck his foot in the door to stop it from closing, "Why didn't you just say that in the first place? Why make so many excuses, which were really bad ones I might add, and not just say that to begin with?"

"Kagome did not wish it to be known." Kagome's mother repeated. This time more forcefully and glared at the offending appendage blocking her from ending this confrontation.

"We'll be back next week. If it won't be too much trouble, we'd like more information at that time." Kurama said, obviously implying that it better not be too much trouble, or else. Something strange was going on here, and it had the feel of their field of expertise. This girl was a mystery, surrounded by a mystery power on the shrine, and had mysteriously disappeared without answering his questions about the mystery tree. He would not be defeated by a mystery.

Yusuke allowed the door to close and they turned almost as one to leave the shrine. And before their eyes, they watched the missing girl appear out of thin air reaching out as if to grab something only she should see.

"Please!" she gasped out brokenly before she collapsed into sobs.

Author's Note :

I've taken some seriously liberties here with a Poet's license. I realize that. For one, I don't actually know the rules of Tensiega and am pretty sure they can raise whatever dead dies… but I didn't want that, so I changed it.

I hope you enjoyed this update… the next one won't be up this fast, but will contain more interaction between the YYH crew and Kagome. Please let me know if you find any mistakes or if you like/hate it. Any feedback is appreciated.


	3. A Little Confrontation

Kuwabara, always there to help a lady in need, rushed to Kagome's side and knelt beside her. The other three exchanged slightly nervous glances; nothing frightened them worse than a woman in tears.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Kuwbara asked as he tentatively laid a hand on her shoulder.

Kagome looked up and saw the orange haired male through the blur of her tears. Her broken sobs stopped and her aura, that had been non-existent moments ago, began pulse wildly. The three youkai exchanged another glance, this time wary.

The girl stood, whirled towards the males that had kept their distance and stalked determinedly to them.

"You! You're youkai," She exclaimed, adding more to their panic, "Where are the rest? If you can make it, so could they. Tell me where the youkai are hiding! Why can't I sense them?"

"Woman," Hiei growled, not one to take threats lightly, and this was definitely a threat coming from her.

Kagome directed her full attention to him. Hiei sensed her aura focus in straight onto him, he automatically took a step back. When he realized what he had done, he reached for his katana.

Yusuke moved next to Hiei and put a placating hand on his shoulder. Said hand was promptly shrugged off and he raised his hands in surrender after a heated glare from his small firecracker friend. But, at least Hiei removed his hand from the weapon. Not that he needed it.

"Now, Kagome, didn't your mom ever tell you? Youkai are just a bed time story for ki-"

Yusuke was abruptly cut off as Kagome grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him close enough he could feel the heat of her breath. "Bedtime stories, Yusuke? How about I purify you into little piles of ash and then your two youkai companions here can tell me some bedtime stories."

Kagome glared at Hiei first and then shifted her glare to Shuichi, Sesshomaru would be proud of her glare if their cautious looks were anything to go by.

"Tell. Me. Where. The. Youkai. Went." She started out at a near whisper, but by the time she'd finished grinding the demand past her teeth, the volume had raised to about a scream. Poor Yusuke would probably end up deaf, if she didn't release him before he was dead of strangulation.

"Kagome," Shuichi's turn apparently, "what do you mean by youkai?"

He threw both hands in the air and stepped back, mimicking Yusuke's move from moments before, when she release Yusuke to turn towards him, "Yours and my definition of youkai may differ is all I mean!"

Kuwabara, standing behind and to the left of Kagome and unthreatened the whole time, snickered at the panic in Kurama's hurried assurances. He could sense her aura flaring, of course, but to him it was soothing and brought peace. Oh, he felt the rage and grief that was behind it, but it promoted peace in him. He had no idea about his companion's instincts screaming in terror of the threat in front of them.

"You're a youkai!" She hissed in response, thinking that perhaps he'd lost his mind or maybe didn't even know what he was, "How can our definitions be different! Kuwabara, he's human! You, you three, you're not!"

She had pointed at Kuwabara as if to emphasize her point, and then swung her finger around to point it at her. Kurama and Yusuke both jumped back at the move.

Hiei glowered a bit more and shifted into a more ready position. He should probably kill the threat and be done with it, but that would probably get him in trouble with Reikai, "Hn, Miko."

Kagome's aura relaxed as she looked towards Hiei. This one would tell her what she needed to know.

One minute it was flaring as powerful as a sun, the next minute it was gone. Most of it, Kuwabara could tell, had to do with her suddenly calming down. How the shorty did that, he didn't know. Maybe it wasn't the short guy that did it. Hiei paying attention to him sure wouldn't calm him down. The rest of it though, the rest of it was that spooky tree. The one that seemed to be alive, but not. That seemed to have power, but didn't. He swung his gaze to Kurama to see what the fox thought.

Kurama had noticed the same thing, but a bit more than Kuwabara. He'd observed the tree before, as Yusuke and Kuwabara had asked. Mostly because Kuwabara had sensed something, and while Kuwabara could be (very) dim, his sensing abilities were much higher than all the rest. He'd noticed Kitsune magic on it… not his, but Yoko wasn't the only one in existence. He wasn't able to figure out exactly what the spell was composed of, but did know that it did have a sort of masking ability. It even worked to hide anything under it from Reikai if his guess was correct.

Now that he knew about what it did, he was able to see through the spell and sense Kagome's aura. It was contained again in her body, only small wisps of her power flashed like a whip around her body once in awhile. These power flares didn't seem threatening though; they almost seemed soothing. That was impossible, of course.

"Please," Kagome looked at Hiei in entreaty, "please tell me where the youkai are? I have to find out."

"There is a barrier." Hiei looked to Kurama in an obvious invitation to take over. Kurama smirked in return and gestured for Hiei to continue, "It holds the Makai and Reikai separate from this world."

"And the youkai are there? When did the barrier go up?"

"When?" Kurama asked. He was pretty sure that humans didn't actually know about the barriers, or that they hadn't always been in existence.

"Yes. I know they weren't up five hundred years ago. Youkai roamed free around the world. This is a shrine."

Kurama opened his mouth again to ask her how she was so sure, when he remembered where he was standing and the power he'd just felt flow off her.

"I think you should probably tell us your story. We might be able to help you." He said instead.

Kagome let out a frustrated growl and asked them what they remembered about the history of the Shikon no Tama. She was pretty sure that only Shuichi, if any, would remember. When Yusuke was the one who recited the short version of the story back to her, she was quite surprised. And impressed.

"Well, in that case. Do you remember your question about what happened to after?"

"Yes. We were invited to dinner before you could finish though."

"Okay. Well, I happened."

Author's Note :

Here's the next update. It's a little shorter than the last chapter, but I was asked to make shorter ones. If the general consensus is that everybody prefers longer ones, I'll change it up again. If not, I'll keep them about this length. Let me know!

As always, any feedback is welcome!


	4. To the Makai

Once the commotion died down, Kagome told her story. She gave the men names of each of the characters in her narrative, hoping that they'd recognize someone in her story. She told them about Inuyasha and Miroku, Sango and Keade. She told how brave and ferocious the fire cat Kirara could be. She told them about how Kouga claimed her, Jinenji aided her, and Yura of the hair attacked her. And finally, she told them about Shippo, the kit she adopted, and Sesshomaru, Lord of the West.

"Sesshomaru?" Kurama asked, "tall guy with long white hair? Magenta stripes and a cold shoulder long enough to house all the polar bears in the North Pole?"

Kagome turned a burning smile onto Kurama, "You know him? Can you take me to him? Please! He'll be able to answer my questions!"

Hiei glanced at Kurama and cut his gaze back to Kagome, "Sesshomaru's lands are well protected. Nobody can get in without an invitation. Nobody has seen the Western Taiyoukai in two centuries."

Kuwabara looked to Hiei in surprise; it wasn't often the shrimp volunteered information.

"I can get an invite!" Kagome exclaimed, "How do I contact him? All I need to tell him is who I am, and he'll grant it!"

"That's impossible," Kurama answered, wincing at an old memory, "His vassal comes every twenty-five years to the border to collect any inquiries, messages, notices, and etcetera. It will be another eight years before the Kappa comes to the gate."

"There must be a way then, for an emergency message to be dispatched!" Kagome insisted, "Sesshomaru wouldn't leave himself sequestered away from everything with no way of being alerted."

Yusuke perked up, "I'm sure Koenma would know. He's got his fingers in more pies than you can imagine!"

"Who is Koenma?"

And so the spirit detectives set out telling their story. This one took considerably less time than Kagome's story, since she wasn't interested in too much detail. She was more interested in how to contact the people from her past. She did learn the Kurama/Shuichi situation though. That cleared up a couple of her questions.

"No." Kagome decided, she wasn't going to involve someone that could possibly take away the jewel, "I'll find a way to Sesshomaru on my own. How do I get to the Makai?"

All four boys exchanged glances at that. It was one of those rare situations that only a team as close as those four could manage. With but a single glance and nary a word, it was decided that the group would accompany her to Sesshomaru's lands and all the way to his citadel. They were bored right now anyway.

"We'll take you," Yusuke replied, "give us a few hours to get everything set to rights and we'll meet you at the park."

And so the boys went about gathering supplies and saying goodbyes. It was a very rare occasion they had time to pack an extra set of clothes or grab a candy bar to stash into a pocket. Kurama told his mother that he was going on a trip with some friends, completely truthful. He packed his bags and set out to the park to wait.

Yusuke told Keiko that he was taking that girl from the shrine into the demon world to find a friend. When she asked him to let her go with him, he refused with an explanation of danger, camping, and stealing into a forbidden land. She eventually relented and gave him her blessing with a kiss.

Kuwabara told his sister what he was doing. She felt it was honorable of him and bid him good luck. He would have told Yukina about his self-imposed mission, had he been able to reach Genkai's shrine in before the allotted meeting time was up.

Hiei watched his sister from a hidden angle in the tree. He slipped by Genkai and told her to watch Yukina until he returned and disappeared before she could bother with a response. Of course she'd watch out for the ice maiden, hadn't she been doing that all along?

Kagome ran inside as soon as the males had left. Her mother dropped the plate she had been washing and gasped at her daughter. She didn't know her daughter had made it home. And just after those boys had left, too.

"Kagome!" She greeted, and then saw her daughter's face. She saw the anguish and eagerness. She saw the tear tracks and the radiant smile. "Kagome, what's wrong, sweetheart?"

"Oh, Mom!" Kagome threw her pack down and began digging out unnecessary and used supplies, "I can't tell you right now, but the summary is that I'm back from the past for good. The jewel is complete and I have it. But I'm going to search for Sesshomaru and Shippo. They might still be alive!"

"Okay, dear." She said soothingly, she was beginning to wonder if the pressure was finally getting to her daughter.

Kagome darted around her mom and grabbed some ramen out of the cabinet and stuffed it into her bag before disappearing into her bedroom.

Her mother began clearing up the discarded supplies and called out, "What about Inuyasha? Is he okay?"

A sharp gasp, borderline sob was heard by ears sharpened by motherhood. "Oh no. I'm sorry, dear. I'm so sorry!" She cried as she rushed to Kagome's room. She grabbed her daughter into a tight hug and sat on the bed with her in her arms. Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore and began to cry with great wracking sobs.

"He died, Mamma." Kagome wailed, "He died trying to get vengeance for Kikyo. Naraku impale him just seconds before we destroyed the evil bastard!"

"Oh Kagome." She murmured to her daughter, soothingly. She rubbed Kagome's back and carded her fingers through her hair in calming motions while she mumbled nonsense to make her daughter feel better.

Kagome stayed in the comfort of her mother's arms for a little while before she gathered her imposture and gently pulled free. She stood and gathered the clothes she had been holding onto when her mother burst into the room and took them to her pack.

She smiled a watery smile at her mother when she followed her out of the bedroom and back to her pack. "I'll be gone for a little bit, Mom. I'm going to find my friends and see what I can learn about Sango and the rest."

"Is it dangerous?"

"No more dangerous than the past." Kagome walked to her bedroom to change into something more suitable. She raised her voice to continue the conversation through the door, "You know those boys that had dinner with us last time I was home? They're coming with me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, they're demons, too. They're some sort of guardian for this realm to protect it from anybody wishing death, destruction, or to rule the world. So, they're pretty much professionals."

"That's nice. Will you have any girls with you?" Hey, she was a mother. She had to worry a little about her daughter wandering with four, okay three, handsome males for day and night on end.

"No, I don't think so. Yusuke has a girlfriend, but I don't think he's bringing her. I don't know about the rest, but I can't see them bringing anybody special."

"Oh. Well, good luck on your quest, darling." She said, with a soft smile as her daughter exited her room.

Kagome came out wearing blue jeans and a pink tank top with her hair tied back with a pink ribbon. She snagged a calf length white trench coat off the hook by the door and folded it over one of the straps on her pack. She put on some thick black boots that would protect her feet as much as shoes could. It wouldn't hurt to be a bit more dressed in a realm made just for demons.

She gave her mom a kiss on the cheek, slung the pack onto her shoulders, and waved farewell as she turned out the door.

"Tell Souta and Grandpa that I love them! See you soon, Mom!"

Kagome was the last one to arrive at the park. She gave them a sheepish smile and brushed the stray hair out of her face with the back of her hand.

"Now what?"

"Now," Kurama gestured with his right hand to the right of them, "we go to the Makai."

She turned to see where he was pointing and watched a portal open from nothing, right in mid air.


	5. The Start of the Journey

The group filed out of the portal one by one. Hiei and Yusuke were in the lead and Kurama and Kuwabara took the rear, leaving Kagome in the most protected position of the middle.

Kagome took a deep breath and relaxed almost completely. She dropped her bag and spun in circles to look around and examine the land around her. She could feel demons every direction. They were out in all varieties, powerful and weak, evil intentions and good, some hiding trying to hide and some openly flexing their power.

This is what she had been looking for. Well, not totally, she was looking for two in particular, but the overwhelming feel of demons and air not polluted by technology was what she had been missing. It was odd, she'd lived fifteen years without knowing anything like this existed, but after the two years spent running to the past, this is where she felt most comfortable. And safe. A Miko, toting around one of the most powerful artifacts in the history of man/demon kind felt safest surrounded by demons. No, she wasn't screwed up, not at all.

"What are the cardinal directions here?" Kagome asked, safe she may feel, but she was still disoriented.

"This isn't an exact copy of what you knew in the past. Things have changed, and while there is a North, South, East, and West" Kurama pointed them out as he named them, "They won't help you find the Taiyoukai by memory alone."

"Oh." Kagome looked to the west. "How do we find him then?"

"His lands are bordered by the Forest of Fools, outside of the three king's rule." Kurama replied.

Kagome just looked at him.

"That way." Hiei pointed and began the journey.

Yusuke took off after Hiei and strode next to him with his hands in his pockets, kicking rocks here and there has he went. He glanced over his shoulder at the rest, "Coming?"

Kagome grinned, grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulders. She took it off again and dropped it to the ground before digging down into it and pulling out her bow and a quiver full of arrows. She threw the bag back on and situated the quiver to where her drawing her arrows wasn't hindered by the bag. She strung the bow and held it in her right hand before looking at Kurama, grin still planted on her face. Kurama debated on offering to carry the backpack for her, but decided that it would be better if he was unencumbered if, when, they ran into battle. After all, other than the slightly scary show with her powers earlier, he didn't know how powerful she was. Not to mention, she wasn't fully trained. So, instead he bowed and gestured for her to precede him.

Kagome nodded with a large grin on her face and took off after the other two. Kuwabara shrugged at Kurama and stepped next to him to follow Kagome, keeping his senses open for any attacks from the rear.

"Miko," Hiei called back, "is there any way for you to hide that damned jewel's power any better than that? Youkai all around are sniffing our way."

"No, I'm sorry." She replied, a little irked, she had a name! "This is the best I can do. I'm not fully trained in my power, I told you that!"

"Hn." Looks like this trip might be a little fun after all, the bloodthirsty demon thought with a smirk. He rested his hand on his sword and continued walking. His was on high alert, but other than the three males with him, nobody, including the six demons stalking them from the line of trees on their left and the girl directly behind him, could tell.

Suddenly, Kagome dropped her bag with a dull thud and whirled, arrow already knocked and swung to the left. A small pink light began to glow at the point of her arrow. Kuwabara glanced at the line of trees and saw a snarling demon leap towards them.

Hiei was already in the fray and had dispatched two of the six when Kagome released her arrow. He had turned to kill the demon that Kagome had spotted when he felt her purifying powers rapidly approaching. He darted out of the way and watched her arrow take out not only her target, but two youkai behind him. Hiei removed the head from the remaining one and watched as the ash blew away from the three purified ones.

He rejoined the group and turned his back on Kurama's raised eyebrow. Yusuke smothered a laugh as he small the smoking tail on the end of Hiei's cloak. Kuwabara had no such qualms and let out a loud guffaw.

"I'm sorry!" Kagome yelped as she saw what had caught their attention. "I didn't hurt you did I? I didn't know you were that fast! I didn't know you guys even knew those demons were there. I'm used to Inuyasha announcing it as soon as he sensed them!"

"Hn." Was his response to her apologies and rushed excuses.

"It's alright, Kagome, we'll get used to being a team before this trip is over." Kurama grinned at Hiei's smoking cloak one more time. "We'll have several days before we even reach Sesshomaru's border."

Kagome smiled to him in appreciation as Kuwabara and Hiei started squabbling. This time about how much it seemed like the shorty seemed to have slowed down. He must have been slacking lately. Hiei responded with a snide comment about how he'd like to show Kuwabara just how slow he was.

"We'll need to camp in the next couple of hours. We don't want to travel too far in the dark." He called out to the front, effectively stopping the argument between the man next to him and the one in the front.

Hiei shot an annoyed glance back at Kurama. They didn't need to stop, they were well rested and could travel through the night if they needed. Even the girl was used to traveling and would be able to keep up until at least the middle of the night.

Kurama glanced at Kagome and gestured to his neck, indicating the jewel. It wouldn't do to take that kind of cargo into the night unprotected. Three of their group may have advanced night vision, but two of them, including the carrier, did not. Their extra senses were superior and would probably sense any threats before the rest, but doubted they had any training fighting blind. He knew Kuwabara did not.

Hiei nodded in understanding, "I know a place up ahead. It will be a couple more hours travel. We won't get there until a little after dark, but we can stay there for the night." He glared at Kuwabara and Yusuke, before cutting his glare to Kagome and said to Kurama, "We'll be leaving as soon as the sun rises."

Kagome sighed in contentment and smiled at the horizon as she watched the sun set. This was just like being home. Home with her second family in the past. Her next sigh was one filled with grief as a single tear rolled down her cheek. A family that she wouldn't get to see the majority of ever again, and may not get to see any of them at all.


	6. A Small Lesson in Combat

The group reached the place Hiei had mentioned and set about making camp. Well, sorta.

The three that were carrying stuff dropped them on the ground in random locations and Hiei jumped into a tree. Kagome put her back pack down and began digging through it.

"Is anybody hungry? I have some ramen that I can make if we start a fire." She asked and glanced around the group.

"Hn."

"Sure."

"I could eat."

"Why thank you, Kagome."

All four boys looked at Kagome and she blinked back blankly at them.

"Um. I'll cook if one of you will gather some wood for a fire. And water. We'll need water, too."

The boys exchanged glances and looked back at Kagome, then looked at one another in askance. They'd never bothered to even have a meal when they were on a mission before, sure, they had to eat, but to actually have to do work to manage it? Meh.

"Or, I could get it." Kagome said in exasperation as she stood up to go and gather supplies.

Hiei flashed down next to her and glared, "Let the detective and the oaf get it. You stay here where that jewel won't draw as much attention. I will start a fire once they get back."

"Hey!" Kuwabara ground out, insulted at being called an oaf. He started toward Hiei and the rest of what the fire apparition said registered, "Well, I guess it would be a good idea if you stayed where you can be protected. I'll get the wood."

Yusuke sighed as he rose to stand. He wasn't going to argue when Kuwabara went with no protest. Yusuke looked to Kurama in question and Kurama nodded to the east in response. The spirit detective took off in that direction, presumably to gather water.

"Umm. Won't he need something to carry it in?" Kagome asked.

"Hn." Hiei disappeared back up in his tree, hiding a smirk.

"That he would. Let him realize it on his own." Kurama openly wore his smirk and shifted to make himself comfortable on the tree he was reclining against. The same tree that Hiei was perched in several feet above his head.

Kagome shrugged and sent a shy smile to them as she unpacked her sleeping bag and made a fire pit for the fire. She went around the camp and made it a bit more comfortable without making it too hard to cover up that it was a camp.

"Tell me about your powers, Kagome." Kurama sat up and looked straight at Kagome, "How much training do you have? How much control?"

"Well," she started, "Kaede trained me as much as she could for the traditional Miko part. So, I'm able to channel my power into an arrow and destroy just about any youkai that threatens me. I can also do some pretty advanced healing. I can't re-grow bone and I can't raise the dead. I was learning about the bones, but dead is dead to us. Even if we could, we wouldn't resurrect them. I can heal any wound that's not fatal, and depending on the age of it, not leave a scar. I can re-grow hair and nails, and repair broken bones, as long as there still there.

"I'm good with herbs, and I can cure most illnesses. Old age is beyond me. Kaede also taught me about poisons that I can find out in the wilderness and how to use them as I need. I'm sure my knowledge with plants is enough to fill a thimble with what you know, though."

"Probably, I can teach you some as we travel, if you'd like" Kurama inserted in the pause that was almost a question.

"I'd like that." She chirped with a grin, her face grew more somber and almost guarded, "Sesshomaru and I were experimenting with my powers. We've discovered that I can do more than destroy youkai, but our experiments and training wasn't finish when I was jerked to the future. Perhaps when we find him, we can finish it."

"Like what?" Hiei spoke up from his perch.

"Well, I can heal you. Not as much as I can heal a human, but it is possible for my powers to touch you without harm when I alter them a little." Kagome blushed and mumbled something that even with their advanced hearing, they couldn't quite understand.

"What?" Kurama asked, just as Yusuke came stomping back into the clearing.

He glared at Kurama and snatched the water containers Kagome had placed in a pile as well as the pan that she would be doing the cooking in. He sent a scathing glance Kagome's way when she couldn't quite contain all her giggles and marched right back out of their sight, shoulders tight.

"According to Sesshomaru, when I'm relaxed, my aura is comforting to youkai." She glanced to the side, "That's why children of your species flock to me so much, and the gentler animal youkai. It's also, he says, why some of the more dangerous ones want to destroy me so much. Because I let their instincts relax and they can't do that in order to survive."

"Hn."

"What about weapons, Kagome?" Kurama prompted, "We've seen you're skilled with the bow, but any others? Can you wield a sword? Are you proficient hand to hand? Staff? Whip?"

"I'm alright with throwing knives. If they're perfectly balanced like Sango's are. Were. I bought some in a village once that weren't as good as hers and I didn't do as good with them. I'm useless with the sword, Sesshomaru says it's because I spent too much time watching Inuyasha and not enough with Sango. He was teaching me the staff and said I excelled for a human with them. Um, nobody would ever teach me hand to hand though. They said I was smaller and weaker than just about any demon and that I should stick to the bow if possible and the staff if not. But that I could never actually harm a fly with a punch."

Kuwabara guffawed as he strode into the camp and dumped all the wood in his arms at Kagome's feet in a messy pile.

"I have your wood, lady. You should listen to whoever told you not to fight! You just can come and stand behind the great Kuzuma Kuwabara and I'll protect you!" He grabbed her hand and almost dropped into a kneeling position when a stick dropped on his head from some random location in the sky.

"Fool." Hiei spat as he gathered the sticks from Kagome. She has picked them up and started towards the fire. "If there was a danger, you'd be the last person to hide behind."

Hiei arranged the firewood and glared, a very typical look for him. A flame appeared in the little pit Kagome had made and she hopped over to it with an exclaimed thanks and a huge smile.

"Perhaps they were right in reference to hand to hand combat with a youkai, but you live in dangerous times now and even back in the past. You should know how to defend yourself against humans as well. We will teach you that as we travel. We will spar after dinner tonight for your first lesson and as we eat, I will begin a lesson in plant life and its uses. We will start with the ones that are here and continue as we travel." Kurama said, with a slight disapproving frown.

Yusuke stalked into the clearing a few minutes later, water containers slung over his shoulders and in his arms as his hands carried an overfilled pan that sloshed water onto his chest and down his front as he moved.

Kagome jumped up and snatched the pan from him, thanking him as she turned and surreptitiously dumped over half of the remaining water out as she prepared the meal. She cooked the meal in silence as she listened to Yusuke and Kuwabara bicker back and forth over nonsense with a few acerbic remarks thrown in here and there from Hiei. Kurama gathered a few seemingly random plants and laid them out next to his bedroll in preparation for the lesson.

Kagome finished dinner and passed out a serving to each of them. They ate in near silence as Kagome told Kurama a bit of her plant knowledge. The three not involved in the conversation stopped eating and inspected their food closely when she gave an extensive poison list and its uses to Kurama. Especially when she picked up one of the plants he had gathered and described the painful death it brought on and how it was tasteless and would be extremely hard to detect.

Kurama nodded with satisfaction at the end of the short lesson and gathered the dishes. He thrust them at Kuwabara, "Wash these. The river over there will suffice. We're teaching Kagome some fighting techniques and if you hurry, you may be able to help."

Yusuke stood in front of Kagome as Kurama corrected her stance and showed her the correct way to make a fist. He stepped back to examine her and nodded to Yusuke.

Yusuke focused on Kagome, smirked, and told her to punch him.

The smirk washed away any qualms Kagome had about hitting the arrogant boy in front of her. She threw her fist forward with as much force as possible and blinked up at Yusuke from the ground.

He was bent over laughing and even Kurama was having issues containing his laughter. She glared up at them and when she heard a sound from the tree that sounded suspiciously like a snicker, she growled at them and stood back up with her hands fisted at her side.

"You're supposed to teach me, not turn me into a laughing stock!" She groused out to them in a very impressive growl.

Yusuke straightened up and stopped laughing. For about a half a second and then collapsed on the ground holding his stomach and resumed his hysterical snickers.

"I'm sorry." Kurama chocked out between chuckles, "I've just never seen anybody punch that badly. I thought it was kind of instinctual."

He cleared his throat and approached Kagome warily. If looks could kill, the lesson in self defense wouldn't be necessary and they'd all be dead.

"We'll go about this in a different way. Obviously, you've had no training at all in this." Kurama turned his attention to his leader and after pausing for a couple of seconds to let him get the giggles out of his system snapped, "Yusuke! Get off the floor and shut up! We've got a lesson to teach."

Yusuke stood back up and just as he was about to collapse with giggles again, a piece of bark slammed into his forehead. He glared up at Hiei, but calmed himself and directed his attention to Kagome.

"Just mimic me. I'll show you how to move in slow motion and you copy me. After you've learned how to actually throw a punch in slow motion, maybe you'll figure out how to do it fast." He told her with a smirk. He moved to stand behind Kagome and corrected her stance before resuming his own. He threw a punch in slow motion towards the tree they were facing. She followed his lead and aimed a punch in the same general direction.

Yusuke sighed and fixed her stance again. He glanced towards Kurama. The Kitsune came up behind her and wrapped himself around her as he mimicked Yusuke's movements, pulling Kagome's limbs with his and moving her body as his moved.

Kagome's face turned a furious red shade, both for her ineptitude and the fact that she had a man wrapped around her body. Her body, finally feeling the correct way to move, began to move on her own and Kurama stepped back, allowing Kagome to continue the lesson without his aid.

Yusuke repeated the same seven movements with Kagome for about half an hour before stepping back and watching her repeat them as he said what to do, slightly increasing her speed as he went. Kuwabara came back in the middle of their lesson, after Kurama had released the priestess of course, otherwise there would have been a fairly noisy and annoying interruption in their plan. He watched Yusuke teaching Kagome and got bored pretty quickly. He planted himself in his sleeping bag and was snoring within minutes.

Yusuke ignored Kuwabara's snores until Kagome began to lag behind his commands and started regressing from what she'd learned. He called a halt to her first ever combat training without weapons and told her they were done for the night.

"You did alright." Yusuke told her as he rubbed the back of his head, "we'll work more on it tomorrow and eventually you'll at least be able to break someone's nose. If you can reach it."

Kagome couldn't decide between a glare at the insult or a smile in thanks and settled for a neutral nod, "I'm going to take a bath. I'll be back soon. I don't need a watcher, I can sense any aggressive intentions as well as the rest of you and there isn't any around. I'll make it short and I'd better not catch any of you peeping!"

Her bath was quick, more so because of the freezing cold water than worry that any of her companions would peek. She went back to the camp, feeling a little sore already and clean. Alert red eyes watched her enter the camp and nodded to her in acknowledgement as she slipped into the sleeping bag and closed her eyes.

Hiei shifted to make himself comfortable as he settled in to watch over the group for the night. They'd be leaving first thing in the morning and he grinned devilishly as he planned how to wake them in the morning.


	7. To the Forest

Two shouts mixed with disgruntled grumbles broke into the deep slumber that Kagome had been happily resting in. Two, shrill, very feminine shrieks followed the grumbles almost immediately and jerked Kagome fully out of her dreams. She shot up out of her bed roll and turned bleary eyes in the direction of the shrieks. She'd found that in the past she was grumpy when she was woken in the morning before the sky had even lightened past the dull gray of false dawn. She realized that trait hadn't changed a bit.

So when she saw two males covered in a glistening red and sopping wet with what was likely water, she grunted and rolled over to resume her rest. Kurama, having witnessed the even from the safety of his spot, broke down laughing. He stood up and meandered over to where she lay and bend down.

"Come Kagome, time to wake up before you're given the same treatment." He shook her shoulder and turned to the two detectives glaring heatedly at the fire apparition in the tree. He watched them break into shivers and his face once again broke out into a smirk, "Why don't you two run over to the river and wash up?"

"I tried to wash the blood off already, Fox. They didn't seem too appreciative of it though. All the effort I go through, with so little thanks." Hiei commented loftily from the tree above Kurama's bedroll.

"Oh yeah! And just how'd the blood get on us in the first place? I suppose that dead demon over there just happened to drain his blood right over us both and spare the rest of you!" Kuwabara shouted.

Yusuke turned heated eyes to his friend up in the tree turned, snarled, and climbed out of his sodden sleeping bag, "I'll be back. There had better be a fire going when we get back. And a warm breakfast would be appreciated, Kagome."

Kagome, awake enough to giggle now, promised Yusuke she'd have it at least started by the time he got back. She glanced at Kuwabara, still sitting in his soaked misery, smirked, and went to get a fire started.

"You're not touching any of my food until you at least wash your hands Kuwabara. You will probably want to just wash your whole body or you're going to be miserable this afternoon when the sun is hot on your back." She glanced pointedly in the direction Yusuke went as she bent down to light the kindling she had set under her little pyramid of wood.

Kuwabara turned miserable eyes to her before rising and following his friend and leader. He grumbled under his breath with every shivering step he took until he disappeared from sight and hearing range.

The group started out after breakfast. Kurama had broken down their makeshift camp as Kagome cooked breakfast and Hiei perched innocently in his tree. So, it was a pretty early start they got and by the time Kagome started asking about lunch, they'd covered several miles.

"No." Hiei repeated for the fifth time.

"But we need to eat! It will give us energy to continue the rest of the day until dinnertime." Kagome tried reasoning with him.

"So eat. We're not stopping." Hiei shot back with an annoyed glance to Kurama, pleading with his eyes to make her stop.

"Kagome, perhaps we can stop in a couple of hours. If you're hungry now, I saw some snack bars in your pack from earlier. You could eat one of them to tide you over. I'll even fish it out for you." Kurama told her quietly.

"But what about the rest of you? Kuwabara's human! Just because you guys are demons, doesn't mean he can do without it. And even demons have to eat!" They both turned to look at Kuwabara and watched him shovel the last of a sub into his mouth.

Kurama turned back to the girl and raised his eyebrow, "I'd say he's taken care of his appetite. The rest of us can do the same."

Kagome finally gave in and let Kurama get her a snack out of her bag. She ate in sullen silence and glared down at her feet for a few hours without saying a word. It had never been that hard to get Inuyasha to stop. She'd NEVER lost against him.

The sun had finished its trip over the horizon and was resting on the tip of the mountain when Kagome finally spoke to Hiei again. The group had traveled almost without rest all day, only stopping once for five minutes to fill their water bottles and another time for a pit stop that Kagome initiated. You don't argue with a woman when she has to go, even Hiei knew that.

"How much longer until we're in the Western Lands?" She asked.

"They're not called the Western Lands anymore" Hiei responded.

She waited a beat. She waited another beat. Then she huffed and asked what they were called.

"The Forbidden Lands."

"Oh." Kagome thought that over a second, "Why the Forbidden Lands? Who forbade it? Reikai? Sesshomaru?"

"Hn, your Daiyoukai. He changed the name after the barrier was put up. We'll be reaching the Forest of Fools tomorrow midmorning. Guard your trinket well there. The youkai in residence are peaceful, but who knows how your jewel will call to them."

They walked for another hour before they came to a protected spot and Hiei handed Yusuke his canteen and pointed northward.

Their location was the only protected spot for miles, most of the land being flat and open. There was a lopsided crescent made of rocks, the tallest going twelve feet and several had been moved to make a makeshift campsite, even going so far as having a fire pit already made. Hiei relaxed on a pair of rocks that resembled a very small version of the Lion King's 'Pride Rock'.

Kagome dropped her bag and began pulling supplies out of her backpack while setting up camp. She handed Yusuke her water bottle absentmindedly as he gathered them. Once he'd gathered them all, he piled them into Kuwabara's arms.

"Your turn to gather water tonight."

"Hey!" Kuwabara protested. He glared and stalked off anyway when Yusuke dropped his bag and ignored the orange headed detective.

Yusuke strode over to Kagome and pulled the dinner supplies out of her hands. He set them in Kurama's lap with a smirk and turned back to her, "Kurama can cook dinner tonight. You have a lesson."

His gaze darted around for a second before he drug her over to a nice spot out of the way of any activity happening in their convenient little campsite. Yusuke continued the lesson from the previous night, showing her a few kicks as well. Her punches had lost a little form, but when she tried out the kicks he taught her, she was a natural. Yusuke decided to focus on those and just teach her the basics with her fists.

Kuwabara came back with the water and joined Yusuke in his teaching Kagome, only stopping when Kurama called them to tell them the food would be ready soon and they should go wash up.

As they ate, the ancient kitsune in a human body quizzed the time traveling turned realm traveling miko on the plant life and their uses he'd been teaching her all day. He was pleasantly surprised when she proved to have retained almost everything he'd taught her. Everybody went to sleep satisfied, even the silent and watchful member of their group.

The next morning dawned a dull and dreary day. The group got up slowly and without the entertainment from the previous morning. They packed up quickly and ate a cold breakfast on the move, hoping to reach a little cover before the sky opened and released the water saturating the fat and furious looking clouds. Ominous thunder chased them as they marched where Hiei led them.

Their hurry was mostly wasted, about an hour before they reached the Forest of Fools a loud boom of thunder was followed by a few drops or rain. They quickened their pace and lasted about five steps before torrents of water fell. They were drenched in minutes.

The group walked miserably on, all but Hiei staring sullenly at the ground in front of them. Their shoes squished and squelched, even Hiei wasn't immune to that indignity and water dripped into their eyes. Kuwabara sneezed a couple of times.

Hiei noticeably quickened his pace, causing the group to look up.

"The Forest of Fools." He thrust his chin at the forest about one hundred yards in front of them.

Kagome gasped and came to a complete stop. The rest turned to her in irritation, Yusuke even snapping a what.

"It's Inuyasha's Forest!"


	8. A New Member

Yusuke looked at Kagome, looked at the forest, and looked at Kagome again. Decision made, he grabbed her wrist and hauled her into the forest. She could explain what that meant when they were standing under a bit more coverage.

"Hey!" Kagome yelped, and jerked her extremity out of his grip, "there is no reason to get physical!"

She trudged after the rest of the group into the trees and slowed to a stop, gawking at the beginning of the forest. This was better than coming to the Makai. It was like being transported into the past that she so loved. This was Inuyasha's forest and her second home, the place where she felt absolutely at peace.

"This is the Forest of Fools. It used to have another name, before the Makai. But that other name was lost centuries ago. You say Inuyasha's Forest?" Hiei looked at her, almost inquiringly.

"Yes. This is Inuyasha's Forest. I traversed this place for years looking for the shards. It's where the whole adventure started. If you go a couple of miles that way," Kagome pointed to her right, "you'd have found where the Bone Eaters Well and the Goshinboku stood. They're still in the human realm, though. What's left now? A gaping hole?"

"Interesting." Kurama looked in the direction her finger was pointing, "we'll have to check it out. Another time, though. For now, time is of the essence and we'll need to keep heading towards Sesshomaru's territory. These woods are too infested with youkai for us to remain here for too long. Come."

Kagome looked in the direction Sesshomaru's citadel would have been, back before the barrier messed with everything. A brilliant smile appeared on her face when Hiei, self appointed tour guide, headed northwest, exactly where she expected it to be. She glanced back at where the time portal originally stood before following the group with a shrug and a skip, a skip that stopped after the first squish of a sodden sock in her boot.

Kagome's high lasted for a whole five minutes before she began to glower at the ground in front of her. Maybe the forest did offer enough coverage so that they got a sprinkle on their nose here and there, but they had been walking for plenty long enough to be soaked now. The entire group was cold, wet, and miserable. Her black boots had lasted longer than her old shoes would have, but now they were soaked. And wet socks in boots 'waterproof' boots were worse than horrible. Once they stopped for camp, she was making a fire and drying her clothes.

She looked at Hiei and glanced back down. Then she looked around at the other three males. An idea formed.

"Hiei…" Kagome started, and after a slight hesitation let the whole argument just spill out, "I know we have to travel fast, but can we stop long enough to start a fire and get dry? This is miserable, and my fingers are numb. I don't think I could shoot my bow if I had to. It wouldn't even be that long of a break and everybody could get dry?"

"Hn."

Okay, so much for that idea. She walked in silence for a whole thirty seconds before a violent shiver made her speak up again, "Hiei-"

"I'm looking, Miko. We can't very well stop and set up camp on a tree."

"Oh. Well. We always camped about a quarter of a mile ahead of us. I don't know if it is still the same, but there was a good clearing with nice thick protection from the elements." She shot him a brilliant smile as she pointed. For all his cold Sesshomaru like tendencies, he had a heart like Inuyasha: gruff, rough, and cuddly underneath. She liked his vocabulary a bit better though.

"Hn." He acknowledged and picked up the pace a small amount, heading directly where she had indicated.

They arrived minutes later, and with several wet plops, bags were dropped and everybody went to gather stuff to make a fire. No matter how good the coverage though, they couldn't find anything quite dry enough to light. Hiei finally got fed up and lit the fire with a violent glare and threw his cloak over the makeshift line Kagome had built for their clothes over the fire.

Kagome pulled of her boots and laid them next to the fire, hoping to dry them a little at least. She hadn't packed any spare shoes, silly her. She dug into her bag, her nice waterproof and actually dry bag and pulled out a fresh outfit. She glanced around and frowned.

She pointed at the ground and with a stern look said, "You guys stay right here. I'm going to put on some dry clothes and will be right back. No peeking!"

And turned and left two males spluttering protests about how they would never do such a thing, one shouting that she had nothing worth looking at anyway, and a fourth simply glaring at her retreating back.

She strode, barefoot into the forest and out of their sight. Once she deemed herself far enough that they couldn't see and close enough she could call for help if necessary, she slithered out of the wet clothing plastered to her body. She wiped the excess water from her body as best she could with the fluffy white towel she'd brought and shimmied into her undergarments. She had just started to button the khaki pants when a noise made her look up.

She shrieked.

Yusuke took off towards the shout first. The others had been paying more attention to their sixth sense and so took a couple of seconds longer to realize what their ears had told them. He arrived half a step in front of Hiei and stopped, trying to take in the site in front of him. Hiei took the position on his left, sword already drawn and Kurama arrived a second later with his whip already out and ready for use. Yusuke stumbled a couple of steps forward from the collision of Kuwabara into his back.

"What the hell, Urameshi? Why'd you stop?" Kuwabara demanded.

Kagome heard the noise from the collision and Yusuke's tripping forward and heard Kuwabara's question. The situation registered and she looked up from holding and talking to a multi-tailed cat. Then she let out another shriek, this one outraged as her face flamed a violent red.

"Perverts!" She dropped the cat and snatched a dark purple shirt to shield her almost naked chest from their view, "I told you not to peek! How dare you!"

"You screamed-" Kurama tried to placate the embarrassed and furious miko, all the while focusing on the flesh covered by a delicate blue lace barely hidden by the purple shirt she had gathered in front of her chest.

Kagome glared at the man, completely aware of where his gaze was focused. She picked up her sodden shirt and hurled it at him, "Stop staring! Turn around and be a gentleman, you pervert! That goes for all of you!"

Kuwabara turned around at the roar and did an impressive imitation of a tomato. He grabbed Yusuke's arm and twirled him around as well, with a muttered remark about Keiko.

Hiei let out a sniff and turned his back to her as he remarked at how humans were beneath his notice anyway.

Kurama, embarrassed at being caught, twirled around and stared at a tree. It was a very interesting tree. Plus, it wasn't likely to purify you. Or stab you in the lower regions with an arrow. Or any other painful maiming that was possible.

Kagome eyed all four backs for a couple of heartbeats longer before shoving the garment over her head and pulling it down. It fit pretty snug around her chest and to her hips, and then split and flowed loosely to mid-thigh. She grabbed her wet clothes still in a pile at her feet and wrapped the pants around her undergarments; it wouldn't do to let the boys see them. Then she strode towards Kurama and snatched the wet heap that was her old shirt off the ground from behind him.

She paused and looked at the cat with a smile and patted her shoulder. The cat obediently hopped onto her shoulder and curled its tails around her neck as it purred and brushed its face against Kagome's.

"Coming?" She growled back at the frozen males.

The group meekly followed behind her. Hiei may have sent a glare her way, but he, too, followed without protest.

The group made it back to camp and Kagome laid her clothes out near the fire to get dry and checked the inside of her boots. She gave a satisfied nod and turned to the detectives.

"Well, what have you to say for yourselves?"

"What the hell is that on your shoulder?" Yusuke demanded. It wasn't his fault she had screamed. They were just trying to protect her; there was no way he was going to apologize for that. If she didn't want them to come to her aid while she was half dressed, maybe she should finish dressing next time.

Kagome let out a tinkering laugh and glanced at the youkai on her shoulder. She ran a hand through its fur and was rewarded with a purr.

"This is Kirara. She was one of my companions during my shard hunting adventures!" She looked at the group and registered their shock. With an evil grin, she plucked Kirara off her shoulder and set her down, "she was Sango's friend and became a wonderful addition to our group. She's a very good friend of mine too. Plus, she was a huge asset to our group. Kirara, why don't you show them?"

Kuwabara, who had been rapidly approaching the cat to pet her, stumbled backwards and landed on his rear in the wet soil. In the place of the adorable kitten, was a fairly large vicious looking cat with flames circling her feet and tails.

Kagome let out another laugh and hugged her old friend. Very old friend.

Kirara grabbed Kagome's back in her mouth and presented her side to Kagome, an obvious invitation to mount.

"Oh, we're drying our things and then will continue our trip. Will you help us get to Sesshomaru's citadel?"

The cat dropped the bag and jumped at Kagome, transforming in midair to the smaller version and landing on her shoulder. A mew and a snuggle seemed like a good indication that she would.

"Kirara can travel really fast, we'll make much better time with her help. Plus, she can fly."

"Hn. That won't help too much as we have to wait up for the oaf."

"And it's raining, so the flying would not be too fun at the moment." Kurama remarked.

"She can carry both Kuwabara and me. The flying part will come in handy later on, I'm sure." Kagome returned to both downers.

"Well, once everything is dry we'll continue. Maybe we can make it at a reasonable pace instead of this pathetic crawl we've been travelling."

A couple of hours later found the group back on the trail, everybody in dry clothing with mostly dry shoes and much happier for it.

Kuwabara and Kagome were sitting atop Kirara with Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei running along just in front of her.

The group ran through the night, the youkai stamina keeping them going when the humans would have flagged and needed to rest and sleep. Unfortunately, it did cut Kagome's herb and fighting lessons short.

When the group halted it was sunset of the next day and they were a day's walk from the Forbidden Lands at a human pace. The group had covered four days travel in less than one day.

They set up camp with Kagome and Kuwabara, the only two to have relaxed the whole trip, gathering the supplies. Kagome cooked dinner and right after eating, the whole group bunked down for the night to sleep.

Tomorrow morning they would be rising with the sun and travelling at youkai speed out of the forest. Once they crossed into Sesshomaru's territory, they would be traveling at human pace and very carefully. Only one member of the group knew anything about the lands, other than people didn't go there, and she couldn't talk.


	9. Crossing the Bridge

The group had risen at dawn, a very dark dawn. Kagome didn't know how Kurama knew what time it was, you couldn't see the sun for all the trees. Then again, she never could figure out how Inuyasha could either, so she just went with it.

They had travelled at a pace too fast for the humans, but much slower than yesterday's trip. It was noon and the foliage was noticeably thinning around them.

"How much further?" Kuwabara asked.

"Back before the barrier, we would already be in his territory." Kagome answered, a little thoughtful, "I guess that's not the case anymore."

"No, the daiyoukai gave the Forest of Fools to the caretakers of the forest when he changed the name. He said it was what the hanyou would have wanted, and since it was his birthright, so shall it be. I didn't know the name at the time, but I assume he meant Inuyasha."

"Who were the caretakers of the forest?" Kagome asked, intrigued. There had been no caretakers when she was there, how could Inuyasha have wanted it when he was dead before there were caretakers.

"A descendant of a Taijiya that had settled in the neighboring village. According to the rumor anyway. The leader of the caretakers was a monk with some exterminating skills and very high spiritual powers. He, his wife, and his children protected the human and youkai both that lived in the forest." Kurama paused thoughtfully, "At least, the ones that wanted peace. When the barrier was put up, some of his bloodline had mixed with youkai, those that were youkai and wished to stay, remained here. Those that had no youkai blood were forced to reside in the human world, protecting a weak point in the barrier."

"Really? I wonder if he was a descendant of Sango!" Kagome exclaimed. She made a mental note to ask Sesshomaru for more details, "How do you know so much about it, Kurama?"

"I was alive during the formation of the barriers. At least in my youkai form."

"When were you born? Where you around when I was hunting the shards? Where you here in Japan?"

"I was in another area of Japan when you were hunting the shards. We heard about rumors of the Shikon Jewel. There was actually a brief discussion of us travelling to get some of the shards, but we decided we'd not make the effort for something as troublesome as that." Kurama said, avoiding the question of his age. It wasn't polite to as a woman her age, but he thought the same when you were talking to a youkai as well. They could be thousands of years old, after all.

The group came to an abrupt halt as the forest ended suddenly. There was a river over a mile wide in front of them with guards standing on the near side of the only bridge in sight and possibly the far side as well.

Kuwabara slid off the Kirara and went to the edge of the river, shielding his eyes as he gazed across. It had been gloomy in the forest, and dark before they entered the forest because of the storm. This was the first time in days he had been out in the bright sun.

"Those are the Forbidden Lands?" He asked Hiei, much to the shorter demons consternation, "there is a really bad feeling coming from over there."

"What kind of bad feeling?" Kagome asked.

"The kind that says turn around, you're not welcome unless you want to be my meal."

"Oh." Kagome paused in thought, "Well, I'm still going. You guys don't have to come though. Thank you for bringing me this far."

"Human. We aren't scared of a little tingly feeling the oaf gets. We'll take you straight to the daiyoukai's door."

"Right, let's go." Yusuke decided.

There was an obvious hesitation in the group, they were continuing, but which way? Should the cross the bridge, or ford the river somewhere that wasn't being guarded?

Kirara settled the indecision for them and started towards the bridge.

At the bridge they met two guards. Both were in human form, although they were obviously pure youkai. One was a fox of some sort, the other a wolf. Upon the group's approach, the guards went from an at rest position to a battle ready stance. The wolf held his spear pointing straight at Kagome's heart while the kitsune's left hand glowed and a sword of pure ice formed.

"You are not welcome in these lands. Turn around and leave this place." The wolf growled threateningly.

Kirara let a growl of her own loose and bared her teeth, taking a threatening step forward. An ice sword blocked her path and she swung her gaze towards the Kitsune. She didn't know these guards; perhaps going over the river at a different area would have been a better idea. Now they knew that someone was trying to trespass and the entire border would be patrolled.

Kirara turned her head towards the sound of metal being pulled out of leather. She watched as Hiei smirked and stalked up right beside of her to stand at her left shoulder.

"We have no intention of leaving. Let us pass or deal with the consequences."

Kagome, seeing the brewing fight, decided to try and intervene, "My name is Kagome Higurashi. Lord Sesshomaru has promised me safe passage to and from his land, so long as I live."

"You lie, little human." The kitsune turned his attention to the miko, "Lord Sesshomaru has not promised safe passage to a human in almost four hundred years. You have no youkai blood, and therefore cannot be one of those he granted safe passage. Turn around or die."

"If you'd just ask him, he'd confirm it for you!" Kagome pleaded as Yusuke stepped up to Kirara's right side.

"We will not disturb our lord for something as trifling as a band of wannabe adventurers trying to trespass." The wolf answered.

"If you harm the human, he will be very upset. Would you want to chance that?" Kurama spoke up, from Hiei's left. Kagome watched as Kuwbara joined Yusuke on her right.

"I'll take that chance," growled the wolf as he jabbed the spear dangerously close to Kagome's heart. "If she's dead, Lord Sesshomaru ain't got to know about a pesky human that might or might not be deserving of his protection."

The kitsune glanced stiffly at his companion and hesitated a little before he laid a calming hand on his companion's shoulder.

"In eight years, a messenger of Sesshomaru's will join us here for a couple of days. If you're on his list of trusted persons, you may pass then. We cannot let you pass before then, however. Please turn around and come back at that time."

"You don't understand!" Kagome cried and hopped off Kirara, "you have to let us pass! I have to find Sesshomaru; he's all I have left besides Kirara!"

She stepped entreatingly towards the pair and was jerked back by Kurama as Hiei blocked the spear that would have sliced right through her neck. Hiei went on the offensive and drove the wolf back a few steps before having to dodge the ice sword coming from his left. The kitsune in turn, had to dodge the spiritual energy from the Spirit Gun that Yusuke had shot towards him.

Kuwbara jumped into the fray with his spirit sword to attack the youkai wielding the sword of ice. Within seconds, Kuwabara was unconscious as the kitsune proved to be a true master of the sword. Kagome rushed to her orange haired friend's side, worried, but found he was still alive. It made sense, in a strange sort of way. Sesshomaru would never allow anyone less than a master to guard the gateway into his kingdom. That the kitsune's opponent was left alive was the surprise.

She turned her eyes to the small battle going on to witness Yusuke jumping into the fray, using hand and fist fighting techniques that were much more advanced than the ones he'd been teaching her. The kitsune countered his moves with his own, never once using his sword.

Hiei was still battling the wolf. He was faring much better than the other two. He had driven the wolf to pure defense. Hiei did have a bit of blood seeping through a cut on his leg though. The wolf had not a scratch.

Kagome heard a whip crack and turned to watch Kurama drive the ice wielding kitsune closer to the edge of the bridge. The kitsune reformed his sword to block the plant wielding kitsune's whip. He dodged another blow from Yusuke and sliced through the next whip attack Kurama sent his way. Kirara let out a roar and leapt to the defense of Hiei, who had taken a blow to the head with the butt of the wolf's spear.

Kirara leaving her side drew Kagome back to her senses and she grabbed her bow. She knocked an arrow and let it fly. It glowed pink as it raced towards the kitsune. He turned towards the rapidly approaching threat and leapt away from Yusuke to dodge the arrow. Yusuke in turn shot a powerful blast towards the kitsune and struck him right in the diaphragm. The force of the beam sent the kitsune over the edge of the bridge and into the water. Kagome, bow and quiver full of arrows in hand, rushed to the side of the bridge and searched for any sign of him. The river was deep in that area and he had been wearing a lot of armor.

Kurama scooped Kagome up and tossed her onto Kirara before she could fully inspect the water. Kagome turned to check the progress of Hiei's battle, only to watch the wolf's head, separated from the body, join his companion in the depths below.

Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara and set him in front of Kagome on the fire cat and snatched her bag in his right hand. "Let's go!"

The group raced across the bridge before in order to reach dry land before any kind of alert could be set off. The kitsune may have been hurt, dumped in deep water while garbed in extremely heavy armor, but he was also a youkai. That would not keep him down for long. Not that the group was running from a single adversary. No, they would never do that. They just wanted to get away from water, something that an ice wielding youkai would manipulate as easily as Kurama did plants and Hiei did fire. Once the kitsune saw his dead partner, he would stop fooling around and get serious. When he did that, Kagome could get killed and they wanted to avoid that outcome if at all possible.

They slowed slightly as the approached the far side of the bridge. They had been expecting another fight. Surely, Sesshomaru wouldn't leave one side of the bridge unguarded. There were no guards, however, and their flight resumed its previous speed and they raced to the edge.

The moment Hiei stepped off the bridge and onto the hard packed earth, he let out a very rude explicative. It was repeated three times by the other detectives, including Kuwabara. He had regained consciousness and was sitting in front of Kagome.

Kagome felt something flow over her. Something soothing that felt like a welcome home and something dangerous that felt like a promise of death. She swooned and only remained astride Kirara because of Yusuke's steadying hand.

"What was that?" She asked, bewildered.

"That," Kurama announced, "was a ward. If I'm not mistaken, it just warned every living person on this territory that trespassers have arrived and that it is time to hunt."

"Oh." Kagome weakly replied.

"Well," Yusuke said, swinging his fists, "this is going to be one hell of a fight and flight to the citadel. What are the chances of Sesshomaru coming to see who we are in person?"

"Absolutely zero." Answered a bear youkai with a general mark on his shoulder.


	10. Some Confusion

The rest of the group turned around to face the youkai that had answered Yusuke's mostly rhetorical question. He was tall, taller even than Kuwabara and very broad. His hair was cut very short for a youkai and stood up in short white spikes. The youkai's skin was pure black and eyes so dark a brown they appeared black. Right then, those eyes were glaring straight at them.

"Now, you are trespassing on lands forbidden to those not of the blood or passing the test." He growled.

"We're not trespassing exactly," Kagome responded hesitantly, "you see, last time I saw Lord Sesshomaru, he promised me sanctuary for as long as I lived."

"Many claim sanctuary by Lord Sesshomaru." He swept a cutting gaze across the five of them, "all humans are known to the lord and have no need to use the bridge to cross into his domain. All demons are required to petition to enter. That will not be possible for another few years."

"Um-" Kagome tried.

"Silence!" He roared, "you're fate was decided the moment you killed the guard."

There was a clang as Hiei blocked the sudden blow from another youkai. The youkai attached to the other end of the sword was reptilian in type. Lizard, Hiei decided, snakes would have used something a bit more limber than the bulky sword this moron was swinging around.

"Leave no prisoners. Feed the bodies into the river." The bear general ordered as he turned to depart and let the six guards that melted into view take care of the situation.

The detectives formed a loose circle around Kagome as they prepared for the attacks. Kagome got an arrow ready to fire whenever there was a clear point in the impending skirmish while the detectives drew or charged up their weapons.

Kirara, previously ignored, let out a roar and leapt over the retreating general. That seemed to be the signal and the guards attacked as one. The reptilian youkai went after Hiei. Two cat youkai, so close in appearance they were probably twins, tag teamed Kurama with their fists and feet, one striking from the left and the other from the right. Kuwabara and Yusuke were attacked by a pair of dog youkai; Kuwabara's was wielding a staff and Yusuke's used a whip. They were likely mates from the looks of their attire and the way they were attuned to one another. Luckily, Yusuke was attacked by the female or Kuwabara would have been down and out from his inability to harm a woman.

The final warrior was different from the rest. Not because his breed wasn't standard or anything special like that. No, this one was different because of one thing. This guard was human.

Kagome gasped as she saw the giant boomerang flying her way and realized that not only was he using a weapon as familiar to her as her bow, but he was wearing the traditional demon exterminating outfit. Or at least the traditional one she was used to. The one from five hundred years ago, of course.

"Stop!" Two voices rang out at once, with one belonging to the bear general that had finally acknowledged and recognized Kirara.

Kagome managed to dodge into Kuwabara and push both of them out of the way of the Hirakotsu look-a-like. It missed Yusuke by a hair on its return trip and both groups turned to the other voice issuing the hold command.

A tall kitsune youkai stood there, breathing slightly heavy as if from exertion. He had long auburn hair and his brilliant green eyes had a suspicious sheen to them as they stared straight at the miko sitting on Kuwabara. He was actually a good cushion.

The kitsune was dressed in clothes that looked like a lot like the fire rat robe Inuyasha used to wear, but white instead of red. His single pale tail fluffed out endearingly behind him.

"Hello, Kagome."

"I-" Kagome hesitated, cleared her throat and tried again, "but, I- Shippo?"

"You know this woman, kit?" The bear growled and sent a glare at Kirara when she growled in response to his tone.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Shippo sent a blinding smile to the miko, "I missed you, Kagome."

"Well, you are aware that she and her friends killed-"

"Doesn't matter, Kirill. There had better not be a scratch on her." Shippo turned his attention back to Kagome, "Who are your friends?"

"Well, these are-"

"And why are you here? Sesshomaru's in the -"

Shippo was interrupted by a loud noise from Yusuke's pocket. Everybody, both groups mostly confused and warily passive, turned to stare at his pocket and the compact he pulled out.

"Hey Boton!" Yusuke greeted, his free hand scratching the back of his head, "what's happening?"

"Where are you, Yusuke? I've been searching everywhere for you and Keiko said she has no idea." Boton scolded, "I have a mission. Sort of."

"I can't right now. And what the hell is a sort of mission, anyway?"

"You have to! I can't explain everything right now, but apparently a very important person has gone missing from Ningenkai and we need you to find her."

"Boton, call the cops. We don't do search and rescue for some human who is lost or kidnapped."

There was a deep rumbling voice in the background that murmured something just outside of their hearing comprehension. Boton responded with an affirmative and a bit of shuffling was heard over the communicator as it was handed off.

"Detective." A deep, silky voice drawled, almost menacingly. A face framed by long white locks and marked with two magenta stripes on each cheek and a violet crescent moon peeking out of behind bangs appeared, "My ward is missing. She needs to be found. I will meet you in Sunset Park in one hour. The Ferry Girl assures me you know where it is."

The connection was ended as all the demons, except his team, turned to look at Yusuke.

"Well," Shippo grinned as he strode over to Kagome and laid his arm across her shoulders in a half hug, "you might want to meet him. She's his ward, and you see, if he's looking for her that means time is up and the well is closed."

"Um." Was Yusuke's intelligent response.

"Wait, that was Sesshomaru?" Kagome exclaimed.

"Yup. Why are you here, Kagome? Sesshomaru has been waiting for years for the well to stop working. He planned to fetch you the night it happened."

"Oh." Kagome blushed, "Well, I've been here since it happened almost. These are Reikai Tentai and they are helping me find you guys."

"Ah. Patience never was your strong point." Shippo snickered as he wrapped her fully in a hug and twirled her around. The soldiers that had been fighting stared at him as if they'd never seen him before. The general, dubbed Kirill by Shippo, made a fist in anger and motioned his team towards the bridge.

"Collect the wolf. Perhaps Lord Sesshomaru will be able to use that sword on him." He nodded at Kagome and stalked off in the direction Kagome assumed was the citadel. Looks like they wouldn't be making it there now, at least not yet.

"I don't understand." Kuwabara grumbled.

"It would seem that our Kagome here has friends all over the place." Kurama smiled at the girl and turned fully to Kuwabara, "Lord Sesshomaru has been looking for her while she's been looking for him. Unfortunately, I don't know how we're going to make it to Sunset Park within the hour. Can't open a portal here."

"Oh. That's no problem. There's a rift that was left open when the barriers were made. It was the only way Sesshomaru would agree to letting his lands be included." Shippo grabbed Kagome's hand and began over towards the bridge, "Come on, if we hurry we'll just make it. Sesshomaru hates it when he's kept waiting. And if Kagome's involved, heads might roll."

"Where is the rift, Shippo?" Kagome asked as Shippo knelt to allow her onto his back.

"Just like old times, but me giving you a ride instead." He patted her hand when he saw the mist in her eyes, knowing she was also remembering how she'd ride on Inuyasha's back, "The portal is at the Goshinboku. It remains in both worlds and because of that, if you know exactly how to utilize it, you can travel between the human and demon worlds. The well is another link, but it takes you directly to Reikai instead. Let's go. Coming guys?"

Hiei narrowed his eyes at Shippo but otherwise didn't make a comment or move. Kurama turned towards the fire cat and nodded at Kuwabara. Yusuke scoffed and stuffed his communicator back in his pocket.

"Your Sesshomaru is a bit of an ass, Kagome. And he's stuck up, you sure you want to find him? We can blow this joint if you'd like." The dark haired youth asked.

Kagome threw back her head and laughed, "Let's go, guys."

Shippo got them across the forest in thirty minutes. Considering that the Goshinboku was supposed to be on the other side of the forest, a couple days away, that was really good. When asked how he accomplished that, he told them some gobbledook about domain manipulation and Inu heritage.

He set Kagome down in front of the Goshinboku and turned to the detectives, "Only those who are of the blood or have passed the test can use or know about this. Only Kagome is of the blood, and we don't have time to submit you to the test. I need your word as a warrior that you will never betray the existence of this portal or the knowledge of how to use it."

Kurama, sensing the tremendous power of the tree and the hidden power was the first to agree. Foxes were a curious breed and in all his time as a human and the millennia as a demon, he'd never felt anything quite like this.

"I, Yoko Kurama, give my word as a warrior and a thief that I will guard this knowledge to the death."

Kuwabara, always trusting of Kurama, gave his next.

"I, the great Kazuma Kuwabara, give my word as a warrior to guard this knowledge to the death!"

"Ooooookay. Thanks, guy." Shippo hid a grin as he turned an expectant look to the remaining two.

Yusuke gave his with a great huff of exasperation, "I, Yusuke Urameshi, give my warrior's word that I will never betray the knowledge of this place or how to use it."

"Hn. I give my life for nothing as insignificant as this. I give my word, however, not to betray my knowledge of its existence. Nor, will I allow the knowledge of how to utilize it to be stolen from my mind."

Shippo cocked his head to the left and gazed solemnly at Hiei. He nodded and sent a brilliant smile to Kagome, "Good enough! Let's get rocking!"

Shippo made a small slice with his right thumbnail on the palm of his left hand. He pressed the cut into an ancient notch that could have been made from an arrow. A blinding flash went off and a swirling portal stretched open.

The auburn kitsune stepped back and bowed gallantry, "after you!"

The group left Makai the same order it entered: Hiei, Yusuke, Kagome, Kurama, and Kuwabara. The only differences were a small Kirara riding on Kagome's shoulder and a smug auburn haired kitsune bringing up the rear.


	11. Meeting the Lord of the West

Kagome blinked in surprise as she stepped out of the portal.

"Home." She glanced around in awe and stepped away to let everybody else through.

"I told you, the Goshinboku is the link between our worlds. There is an open link between all three worlds that will be open as long as the barrier is up." Shippo turned back to the tree he had seemingly just stepped out from, "Makai to Ningenkai and vice versa is the Goshinboku; Makai to Reikai is the well, or the remnants at least. It's not the same backwards though. Reikai was created instead of unmeshed. So, there was never a well there, instead you come out of a gate."

"Why them?" She asked.

Shippo strode over to the woman he'd adopted as family in the past and embraced her from behind. He turned her to face the rest of the group so he could tell them the story as well. He was pretty sure the older Kitsune knew part of what he was saying, but probably not all. After all, Sesshomaru had gone through great pains to keep it under wraps. He rested his chin on her head and began his story.

"Because the well was able to break through the barrier of time and was used for the bones of dead demons. The dead demons linked the Makai and the Reikai, and the time barrier allowed it to pass through the much less powerful world barrier. It wasn't a purposeful portal left by the idiots in Reikai. It's more of the fact that they couldn't close it.

"For years, that asshat Enma sent people to destroy the well and hope that would close the opening in the barrier," Shippo glanced up at the sun. He blinked and released Kagome only to grab her by the hand and tug her along behind him, "come, I will talk while we walk. Sesshomaru hates to be kept waiting."

The group followed behind without protest.

"Anyway, he was unsuccessful for about one hundred and fifty years because Sesshomaru had a spy in Reikai's ranks and knew when the attacks were coming. Then the spy got caught and was fed misinformation. When we were busy preparing an ambush to protect something else, they struck and destroyed the well. All that's left now is a semi-square whole in the ground. " Shippo grinned and looked at Kurama, "Still works, of course. It wasn't the wood that gave it the power, it was the demon bones that had become a part of it. We've reinforce it so it doesn't cave in, but all you have to do is hop down in it and you come out right at the gate of Reikai."

"What happened to the spy?" Kagome was curious to know.

"Sesshomaru bargained with Enma. Enma agreed that, instead of destroying the soul, it would be reincarnated into some unborn child of Sesshomaru's underlings and the soul's mate as well, when a female would be born. In return, Sesshomaru agreed to keep the portal's existence a secret and have a sorceress in his employ cast a spell upon it that only allowed a select few to disarm the defenses so they can pass through it."

"Huh." Yusuke blinked at Shippo, "this Sesshomaru guy is kinda wily isn't he?"

Shippo grinned at Yusuke and nodded as he turned the corner towards the park, they'd be cutting it close, but he figured Sesshomaru would forgive them a couple of minutes since they were bringing Kagome to him.

"And the portal from Ningenkai to Reikai?" Kurama asked. Shippo had mentioned that there was one, but didn't say where or what it was.

"We have nothing to do with that one. It's in a graveyard about ten miles from Kagome's Shrine. It's not a part of the lands that Sesshomaru controls and he has no interest in it."

"Hn." Hiei voiced his agreement. As long as you knew its location, there really was no reason to have to portals to the Reikai that were already open. Plus, it sounded like Sesshomaru had admittance to Reikai whenever he chose.

"So, why is the Goshinboku a portal from Makai to Ningenkai and back?" Kagome asked.

"Inuyasha." He replied, looking up at the sun and then back down at the broken face Kagome donned at hearing Inuyasha's name. "He was sealed to the tree by a human priestess. For fifty years he slept. Half human, half demon. Then, he was released from the tree by a human priestess. The Goshinboku was already an ancient and powerful tree. When Inuyasha slept there for so long, the Goshinboku became a link between demon and human kind. It didn't want to be cut off from one world when the barriers were formed, so it decided to be in both worlds and let those who wished travel back and forth."

"Oh." Was her whispered reply.

"Inuyasha is happy, Kagome. I talked to his spirit about eighteen years ago. Then, he was reincarnated to a human mother here in Ningenkai a few years back, he wanted you to know he'll always care about you, but that you should move on and be happy. He also made me promise when I found you that I would take care of you."

Kagome peered at Shippo with tears in her eyes. She gave him a watery smile, squeezed his hand and turned her attention towards the park she could see at the end of the block. It wouldn't be long now and she could see Sesshomaru.

Kirara purred and rubbed her face into Kagome's neck and hopped over to Shippo's shoulder. He ruffled her fur with the hand that wasn't holding Kagome's and grinned.

"We're almost there, Kirara. Then you can go back home and take care of them."

"Eh?"

"Tell you later, Kagome. Right now, I think I see Sesshomaru. And he sees you."

Kagome followed Shippo's gaze to the tall man about a hundred yards in front of him. He looked different, but when she opened her senses, it was definitely Sesshomaru.

She pulled out of Shippo's hold and darted towards the demon that had become as dear to her heart as Inuyasha. She stopped in front of him and bowed then, with tears streaming down her face, she leapt into him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Sesshomaru hesitated for a half of a second before he wrapped his arms around her and held her just as tightly as she was holding him.

"I missed you, Kagome." He whispered into her ear, and then his voice rose and took on a chiding tone, "And where have you been? This Sesshomaru has been searching for you for days when the guard alerted that you had appeared and the time loop was complete. When this one got to your residence, you were gone."

Sesshomaru released his hold on her and she slid down his body and stepped back so she wasn't craning her neck so bad to look him in the eye.

She studied his new look and was a bit surprised at what she saw. His hair was as short as Yusuke's and just as black. His once golden orbs were a deep brown and the stripes and moon on his face were nowhere to be seen. He was wearing a black business suit with a deep red tie and shiny black shoes. No, this was not the Sesshomaru she knew at all. The ends of his fingers were blunted with human nails and his straight, white teeth had not even a hint of a fang.

The rest of the group caught up with them and Sesshomaru's eyes took in Shippo and flashed gold.

"Kit, what has this Sesshomaru told you about being in Ningenkai?" He asked, with the same smooth voice she remembered. Hehe, he even had the same acid in his tone. So, perhaps he hadn't completely changed.

"Oh, right. Sorry, Sesshomaru-sama, I was so intent on bringing Kagome to you that I forgot." Shippo turned a sheepish eye to Sesshomaru.

And then Shippo began to disappear, too. Oh, he was standing right there, but he had subtly shifted in appearance. His long auburn tresses had shortened to quarter of an inch spikes and the brilliant green eyes dulled to a more hazel. His nails blunted and his fangs disappeared. The sharp points on his ears shifted into a round human ear. His aura even dulled a bit. The only thing to remain the same was his clothes.

Kagome gaped at him. The rest of the group, having watched demons throw on something of a glamour before accepted the transformation without a blink.

"Miko, this Sesshomaru doesn't like to repeat himself." Sesshomaru turned a sharp look on her.

"What?" She asked, still flabbergasted about the transformation, "Oh! I was searching for you. How was I supposed to know you'd be here in the human world? They" and she gestured at the detectives, "said that most powerful youkai were locked in the Makai and so they agreed to take me to you, instead."

"Hm." He acknowledged the rest of the group for the first time. His gaze swept over them, almost dismissingly and then whipped back to Yusuke. He paused for a second, staring at the leader, before continuing, "Why did you not tell this one that Kagome was in your possession when we spoke on your communicator?"

"Uhhhhh," Yusuke scratched the back of his head, "because you didn't give me a chance. You just hung up on me! I didn't even get a word in edgewise. Not to mention, you never even told me who you were looking for OR your name!"

Hiei and Kuwabara looked at Yusuke with a goggle eyed look, well, Kuwabara did. Hiei's eyes got as goggled as he would let them, which wasn't much.

Kurama just dropped his head into his hand and sighed in exasperation. Only Yusuke would speak to the most powerful youkai alive like that.

"He's right you know." Kagome interjected, before Sesshomaru could kill the boy that she'd grown fond of.

Sesshomaru looked at her with a blank look.

She returned it.

Shippo snickered. He'd missed this.

"Come, Miko. We shall return to the Palace of the Moon." He turned his back to the group and held out his hand to her. When she took it, he glanced back at the detectives over his shoulder, "You may leave us. This Sesshomaru wishes to thank you for returning the miko to him, if you are ever in need, you will be able to cross into the Forbidden Lands and contact this one for aid."

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." Kurama bowed from the waste in thanks and shot a look to Yusuke and Kuwabara to follow his lead. They quickly mimicked him.

Hiei inclined his head towards Sesshomaru to show his gratitude and respect.

"I'll see you, later!" Kagome called back, "Thank you for your help! I'll get in touch with you when everything is settled."

They strode out of the park and disappeared into a sleek black limo. The chauffer grinned over to the woman standing on the other side of the car as he closed the door. He climbed behind the wheel and the woman joined him on the other side. She held out her hand for him to hold and sighed with contentment. The chauffer glanced into the mirror to check on his passengers and smiled. His eyes flashed purple as he put the car into gear and drove off.

A/N: Sorry there isn't much action in this chapter. I've given a couple of hints to the future, let's see if anybody catches them. Hope you enjoyed.


	12. Tempers

"You've got some 'splaining to do!" Yusuke growled to Koenma.

After they'd watched Kagome drive off in the black limo the group had made a unanimous decision to find out a bit about Sesshomaru. Or Shippo. Or hell, even Kagome. Anything that would give them some information would be nice. But what they really wanted to know is why they'd spend around a week in Makai taking her to a youkai who was in Ningenkai. A youkai that was well above the permitted strength to be in this realm.

"I don't have to explain anything to you, Yusuke!" The toddler shouted, spit flying out around his pacifier. He was still pretty upset from being accosted by Sesshomaru, the youkai that even his father feared. Not that his father had ever said as much.

"Just who is Sesshomaru, Koenma?" Kurama asked, placing a placating hand on Yusuke's shoulder.

"Hmmm. Well, Sesshomaru is a powerful dog demon from before the barrier. He was the Lord of the Western lands and was feared by human and youkai alike." Koenma answered blithely.

Kurama winced at Yusuke's next outburst.

"We know that, toddler! What I want to know is why he's in Ningenkai and why the hell he's giving you orders!" Yusuke curled his right hand into a fist and threw his arm towards Koenma and with his finger extended, "And where the hell is your desk?"

Keomna blushed and looked at the empty area his desk used to reside. Then he narrowed his eyes at Yusuke and growled back.

"I decided I wanted a new desk! And that stuck up DOG is in Ningenkai because my father allows him to be so!" Koenma winced a little at his lie, hoping that Sesshomaru wouldn't hear back about this conversation.

"Hn." Hiei responded to Koenma's lie. He slanted a look at Kurama to see if the kitsune recognized the lie for what it was. A slight nod and narrowed eyes was the affirmative response.

Kurama opened his mouth to confront him on the lie. Then he snapped it closed again and decided that perhaps it would be better to wait in this case. Kurama's mouth opened once more, "Why do you follow the youkai's orders?"

"He follows orders because Sesshomaru could destroy this whole setup that they've got going if he so desired." Shippo piped up from the corner .

Kuwabara and Koenma, having forgotten the auburn kitsune's presence, both jumped.

"No wait just a minute here!" Koenma turned his full attention onto Shippo, "There is quite a lot stopping Sesshomaru from destroying anything, including the placement of that girl's soul!"

Shippo's eyes bled red.

"You dare threatened a soul? You abuse your power and threatened to remove a soul from the reincarnation line?"

Koenma spluttered. He hadn't realized how much the soul meant to this kitsune. Said kitsune was inching towards the child god, malice palpating the air around him.

Time to back pedal pretty fast, "I wouldn-"

"If Rin's soul is not back in the living plain within the next two years as scheduled, Sesshomaru will destroy the worlds' barriers and we'll all be together again, just as we're meant to be!" Shippo growled.

"Kit." Kurama's voice broke through the red haze that was Shippo's existence at that point, "Koenma would not do that. I do not believe it is in his power."

Shippo halted his movements towards the cowering toddler and turned red hued eyes towards the elder kitsune. Kurama met Shippo's eyes and held them. Shippo glanced away first and slunk back to his corner to regain control over his temper. It wouldn't do to return to the Palace of the Moon with the scent of anger drenching him.

"Koenma sir," Kurama turned his gaze away from Shippo and to the toddler rapidly losing his temper, if things kept up this way he'd have to resort to physical restraints and really didn't have the time or patience today to do so. "It would be a bit more constructive if one didn't antagonize youkai powerful enough to destroy young deities. And definitely not ones that are the heir to youkai powerful enough to destroy old deities."

When Koenma began to splutter in annoyance that one of his employees would dare threaten or criticize his actions, Kurama turned his back and approached Shippo. He gestured towards the exit with his chin and followed when Shippo moved to obey his silent order. He glanced over his shoulder and met the eyes of the rest of his teammates and nodded in satisfaction when they turned to exit behind him.

"Was that wise, fox?" Hiei asked after they'd shut the doors behind them and cut off Koenma's rant.

"It was necessary." Kurama turned towards his friend and gave him a derisive smile, "the toddler is playing with fire and we've worked for too many years for him to let the barriers destroyed by mouthing off because of his pride."

"Hn." Was the fire apparition's response.

"Yes, well." Kurama shrugged.

Shippo guided them to the gate and cut his hand. The blood that trickled from the slight cut he used to smear on a crescent moon and turned to the group. He donned his human disguise and all but the burning red eyes would have looked perfectly normal anywhere in Ningenkai. He motioned the group to precede him and followed them when they were all through.

They stepped out into a graveyard and Shippo silently guided them west. The group walked in silence for several minutes before anybody said anything.

"Where are we going?" Yusuke asked as he jogged up to walk beside Kurama.

"We're going to Sesshomaru's Ningenkai estate." Shippo replied. His eyes were still tinted slightly red, but most of it had receded back to his normal good natured green.

All four detectives turned to look at Shippo. He looked back at them, grinned, and turned the corner. The last bit of red disappeared with that grin and with it, so did any youkai resemblance.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked a pebble that had the audacity to be in his path. The pebble soared away and bounced into the road where it rolled into the drain. He turned his attention back to the path he was going and turned another corner.

"Oof," said a girl as she landed on the sidewalk after careening straight into Shippo.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking," Shippo started to apologize as he blindly helped the girl up.

She looked up with a smile on her face, ready to brush off the apology.

"Keiko!" All five voices rang out at once.

"Hey Yusuke! Guys. Yoshiki, don't worry about it. I wasn't watching where I was going, either." She said as she straightened her clothes.

Four eyes swung between Keiko and Shippo. Yoshiki. Shippo. Whatever.

"You two know each other?" Yusuke ground out, there may have been a hint of jealousy in his voice. He knew pretty much everybody in Keiko's life. The fact that she knew this demon worried him and annoyed the hell out of him. Shippo wasn't bad looking, for a guy.

"Yup." She smiled at Shippo before turning to Yusuke, "He's the son of my uncle. Well, he's not really my uncle. He's like my uncle."

"Eh?"

"Their family has been a friend of my family for generations. We don't see them very often though." Keiko peered at Yusuke, "I introduced you to Uncle Raiden when we were children, don't you remember?"

"No." Yusuke glanced at Shippo out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't decide if he should reveal the cover-up or conceal their secret. Shippo decided for him.

"Keiko, Father is in town, why don't you join us?" He asked with a slight smirk towards Yusuke.

"Yes, Keiko. Yoshiki was just taking us to meet with him." Kurama looked pointedly at the other kitsune.

"Okay! I haven't seen him in years! I'd love to see him." With a quick nod she skipped to walk beside Yusuke as the group followed Shippo.

Shippo approached a gate and it swung open before he could touch anything. He offered his arm to Keiko, and offered a smug smirk to Yusuke when she abandoned Yusuke's side to take the proffered arm. Yusuke in turn offered a scowl and a rude gesture towards the disguised kitsune when the girl wasn't watching. They continued up the long drive.

"How have you been, Keiko? Has university been treating you well? Have you found yourself a worth man yet?" Shippo asked, absorbed into the role of Yoshiki. He glanced slyly back at Yusuke, "Or has that total oblivious buffoon that you told me about taken notice and swept you off your feet yet?"

Keiko blushed, "I've been fine. University is a lot of work, but I've enjoyed it. How have you been, cousin?"

Shippo let loose with a soft chuckle at the blatant way she ignored his last couple of questions, "I've been well. We finally found that girl I told you about."

"Oh! I bet Uncle Raiden is thrilled!" Keiko squeeled.

Yusuke growled a bit and settled more comfortably into his scowl. He knew that stupid kitsune could feel the heated look, but the leech wasn't acknowledging it.

Keiko turned to the rest of the group when the mansion came into view between an opening in the trees. "Look guys! We're here!"

She released Shippo's arm and grabbed for Yusuke's hand. He dropped the evil look and glanced at her in askance as she practically drug him up the rest of the drive and set of steps to stop at the front door.

Keiko turned to the rest of the group and began tapping her foot when she saw them lagging so far behind. Shippo chuckled at her obvious impatience and slowed to a nice leisurely pace. She growled.

The stragglers reached the bottom of the steps and had begun to ascend when the door swung open.

She and Yusuke turned to see a young man with ebony hair and eyes that glinted purple when the light hit them.

**A/N: I apologize for the tardiness of this update, but I have been unable to update since Tuesday due to receiving errors when trying to add a chapter.  
**

**This chapter doesn't flow as well as it should and I apologize for that... however, I figured you readers would appreciate an update quicker than for me to spend a few more days tweaking it to flow like I'd like.  
****I've posted a side story to this in Sango's POV... so far I've been very disappointed in it's utter lack of views and reviews. If it eventually does well, I plan to do a one shot of Sesshomaru's POV along the same time line as hers but going a bit further into the future as well as a possible prequel. **

**Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed.**

**Zeika**


	13. Meetings and Endings

**Disclaimer: I do not own YuYu Hakusho or Inuyasha.**

"Hey, Miroku," Shippo drawled. He thrust his thumb over his shoulder and pointed at the group gathered behind him, "I've brought Keiko to see Pops. These are her friends."

"Very good, Yoshiki," the man, dubbed Miroku, acknowledged.

Shippo hopped across the threshold of the house, dragging Keiko by the arm. Yusuke was forced to follow or be dragged as well by the grip that Keiko had on his hand.

They entered, the rest of the group slowly following behind, into a room bathed in light from several large windows. It was sparsely decorated with a single table and some portraits on the walls. The walls were white, accented here and there with maroon. The floor was the opposite. Maroon, with white accents here and there. To their left and right were doorways that lead further into the house and a spiraling staircase was directly in front of them and at the top were two more doorways.

"Pops!" Shippo shouted, teeth flashing in a rambunctious grin as he glanced up, "I've brought Keiko and some of her friends with me!"

Miroku murmured something under his breath to the troublesome kitsune and turned to look at the top of the stairway as well.

Sesshomaru, guised still as a human, came out of a doorway from the upstairs and glanced down with what may have been a glare. Then he turned to Keiko and raised one eyebrow, "I was unaware that you would be visiting. However, it is a pleasure to see you. You will bring your friends and come to my study."

Keiko smiled up at him a bit guiltily, "Yes, Uncle Raiden."

She began to climb the steps, pulling a miffed Yusuke with her. Kurama exchanged a glance with Hiei and quickly followed the pair up the steps. Kuwubara looked over to Shippo, who grinned and gestured elegantly with his left hand to proceed; Kuwubara took his advice and ascended behind his friends. Miroku rolled his eyes and exited the room, dragging a yelping Shippo with him.

Keiko entered the room 'Raiden' had entered and stopped abruptly as she saw the girl reclining in her uncle's chair, she looked familiar to her somehow. Sesshomaru perched on the corner of his desk and gestured to the two chairs in front of him. Keiko sat on the edge of one and the rest of the group picked locations of their own, backs against the wall and standing. The room was well lit, but only a single, large window provided any natural light. The room's walls were covered from floor to ceiling in cherry bookshelves, all of the shelves stuffed to the limit with books. The only furniture in the room consisted of a heavy, cherry desk and three chairs.

"What brings you here, Keiko?" Sesshomaru asked, a finger tapping on the desk.

"Well, I ran into Yoshiki," Keiko gave Yusuke a black look when his cough sounded suspiciously like 'literally', "and he invited us over. He mentioned that you were in town and I haven't seen you in ages, Uncle Raiden! I hope we're not too big an imposition, if we are we could come back later."

Kagome's welcoming look had disappeared and a look of shocked comprehension appeared as Keiko called him 'uncle'. She began to study Keiko intently.

"No, Keiko, you are always welcome here." Sesshomaru looked at the reikai tentei and stopped tapping his index finger. "Your friends. How did you become acquainted with them?"

"Oh! This is my fiancé, Yusuke. You met him when we were little! Remember?" Keiko didn't even pause to wait for his response before she barreled into further introductions. "The other guys are Kazuma Kuwabara, Shuichi Minamino, and Hiei. They've been friends of ours for ages."

She had gestured to each of them as she said their name. None of the group made any reactions as they were introduced. All but Kurama stared firmly at Sesshomaru. Kurama observed Kagome watching Keiko, a few answers clicking into place.

Keiko's gaze shifted from her uncle onto Kagome. Her eyes lit up with recognition.

"You're the girl from the shrine!" Keiko stood abruptly, whirled to Yusuke and jabbed her finger at him with an accusing look, "the one you said you were taking to the Makai to find someone important to her!"

"Yes." Sesshomaru stated, calmly. He rose from his perch and walked around to stand at Kagome's back. He rested a hand on her shoulder before turning to gaze out the only window in the room.

"What is going on?" Keiko's voice had risen a little. She thrust her fists onto her fists and whirled in a circle, glaring at each person as they glanced away helplessly. Kagome stood and strode around the desk to meet Keiko's gaze. She gestured to the chair Keiko had just vacated and leaned back against the desk. Keiko sat warily.

"I'm sorry, I cannot explain much as I don't know all of the details." Kagome glanced over her shoulder at the brooding Daiyoukai, "My name is Kagome Higurashi, we met before at my shrine, but I don't know your full name."

"Keiko Yukimura."

Kagome smiled pleasantly and pushed her hair back over her shoulder, "Let me tell you a story."

And so Kagome began, with less detail, to tell Keiko the story of the jewel of four souls.

"... and when I was pulled back, these guys were at the shrine. They offered to take me to find Sesshomaru in the Makai. We found Shippo instead and he brought us to Sesshomaru."

"Wow," Keiko murmured, "that must have been tough, watching so many you love die." Keiko paused for a beat and then spoke back up, "I'm sorry though, what does that have to do with why you are here at my Uncle's."

"Um..." Kagome glanced back at Sesshomaru, obviously waiting for him to take over, when he remained silent she continued, "Well. Your Uncle Raiden and my Sesshomaru are one in the same. From what I have learned in the past hour, I would guess that the reason he has been looking after your family is because you are a descendant of Sango and Miroku?"

"Hn." Sesshomaru confirmed.

"Ah." Kagome looked down and fiddled with the hem of her shirt for a second. She looked up and glanced around the room, avoiding Keiko's gaze, "I'm sorry, I don't know enough yet of what happened between when I left and now to give you any more info. Perhaps you could ask questions of what you want to know and I can try to answer them?"

"Are you and Unc-" She clenched her fists for a moment, "Sesshomaru going back to the Makai? Is this goodbye? How come nobody ever told me about this? I had to find out about youkai through other means?!"

"No!" Kagome cried, "this isn't goodbye! I'm not going anywhere! And Sesshomaru-"

"This is a permanent ningenkai residence." Sesshomaru finally turned away from the window, "Yoshiki, his true name is Shippo, is waiting still for the reincarnation of his mate. It should be soon. She is likely to be born into ningenkai and he will not become a permanent resident of any other world until after he finds her."

"Sesshomaru won't leave either." Kagome broke in, shooting a look to her friend from the past, "he'll protect you for the rest of your life once you're part of his pack. It sounds like you've been a member since before you were born."

"Protecting Keiko is _my _job!" Yusuke strode forward and pulled the girl in question behind him. He glared at both Sesshomaru and Kagome, "I don't care if you've been watching over her family for however long, she is mine and you ain't taking her away!"

"Yusuke." Kurama softly spoke up, "I do not believe that is what either of them meant."

Kagome sent Kurama a gentle smile and nodded in agreement, "No, Yusuke. I just meant that she won't be abandoned by her family just because they found me. I won't be moving to the makai either, or course. Not yet anyway. I have much to take care of here and even then, there is my family to consider."

"There will be no abandonment or relocating. You are a child of a child of many more children of one of my wards. You are welcome into both this manor and the palace of the moon. For bringing the miko back to us and protecting her, your friends are also extended that offer. The palace of the moon is exempt from Reikai regulations and very well protected."

"Hn." Hiei answered with a glare, he could protect himself. There would be no protection needed from this youkai. It wouldn't do, however, to shove the offer in the daiyoukai's face.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama," Kurama bowed from the waist, eyes never leaving Sesshomaru's face, "the offer is greatly appreciated."

Both Yusuke and Kuwabara nodded without speaking. Several seconds of silence ticked by before Kagome bounced back to her feet, "well! Isn't that nice! Keiko, I know I probably don't need to say this, but just in case-"

"Don't tell my family about the fact that one of the closest family friends isn't what we've always thought?" Keiko snapped at Kagome.

"Well, yes."

"Of course I wouldn't! Not only would it endanger them, but they would think I were crazy!" Keiko pushed past Yusuke snarled at Kagome. Hands fisted at her side, she glared at Sesshomaru, just for good measure.

"I'm sorry." Kagome whispered. Kurama stepped away from the wall and rested his hand on Kagome's shoulder for comfort.

"Perhaps we should all calm down and everybody could get to know one another all over again?" Kurama suggested, "Keiko can meet the true side of your friends, you can acquaint yourself with the descendant of your close friends, and the rest of us can learn the rest of your story."

"I'd like that," Kagome said with a questioning glance at Keiko, "I'd like to be your friend."

"Okay." Keiko thrust out her hand to Kagome, "we'll start as if we never met. I am Keiko Yukimura and these are my friends and family."

Kagome grasped her hand in a warm shake and smiled, "I'm Kagome Higurashi, I've known some of your family from way back. Let's be friends, I have a feeling it will be a great adventure."

**Author's Note:  
We'll, okay - so it's been awhile. Almost two years. I replaced my computer since I wrote the last chapter and lost everything that I had on this story, including my plans for it - after rereading the story, I remembered a bit of where I wanted it to go and so I wrote a final chapter to give closure to the main story and leave the option of a sequel open, but not required. I realize that this ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but I felt this story deserved to be completed and if there was enough interest after these two years, I would make a sequel that answers the side plots that I've left open. **

**If I should so decide to do a sequel, I will complete the whole thing before I start posting and will release it by chapter once a week.  
Please let me know if you would be interested in a continuation in a new story and if you enjoyed this one or not.**

**Thanks for your patience with me and for reading,**

**Zeika**


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